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BHAKTIVEDANTA GURUKULA AND INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL ANNUAL MAGAZINE | BGIS | 2016-2017

BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD

CONTENTS 01 MESSAGES 01 Message by Srila 01 Message by HH Gopal Krsna Maharaj 02 Message by the Director 03 02 SRILA PRABHUPADA SPEAKS 04 03 NEW PROJECT UPDATE 08 04 ACADEMICS AT BGIS 18 ISC & ICSE 2017 Board Results 18 NSTSE Preparation 18 Learning Verses 18 05 EVENTS AT BGIS 19 Union Cabinet Minister’s Visit 19 Visit of HH Gopal Krsna Maharaj 19 BGIS Students Participate in World Peace Day 20 Students on Govardhan Parikrama & Parikrama 20 Farewell Ceremony of Graduating Students 22 Grade 10 Students Seek Blessings before Board Examinations 23 Special Yajna for Lord Nrisingha Dev 23 Annual Sports Day 24 06 FESTIVALS AT BGIS 25 Sri Janmashtami 2016 25 Honey Pot Festival 27 Chaturdashi 2016 28 07 RETREATS AT BGIS 29 Rishikesh Trip 29 Chitrakoot Trip 31 Parent’s Gita Retreat 33 08 ARTICLES 34 Ekalavya and Arjuna 34 ISKCON- 50 Glorious Years of Service 37 Beyond Absolute Zero and Absolute One 44 Krishna Consciousness for Children Today 50 The Importance of Deity Worship for Children 53

Design by 09 POEMS 54 Emazing ideas Printed at maatti BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD MESSAGE BY THE FOUNDER- ACHARYA

His Divine Grace A.C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI SRILA PRABHUPADA

I am especially pleased to know that your Gurukula project is going forward nicely.

I consider that this is one of our most important projects, because people in general are only suffering due to poor fund of knowledge. So if we have facility to give them the right knowledge of how to make an end to suffering condition of life, then we shall be performing the highest type of welfare activity.

So you can carry on this point to convince rich businessmen, educators, politicians etc. to help us push forward this gurukul system for guiding their young children on the right path to becoming sober, upright citizens. You can inform them that if they give us proper facilities then we can save all the young people of their country from the worst danger.

People are always willing to give anything for educational purposes. They think that if their children get the right knowledge then they will become very successful in life and that is their concern, so they sacrifice everything for good educational cause. Now their children are all becoming hippies, and they do not want so much technology and knowledge which gives them no real satisfaction, so they are losing all interest in education and only they want to enjoy life, that’s all. But if such children are given practical guidance on the transcendental platform, above the bodily and mental conception of life, then they will develop into perfect citizens- moral, honest, hard-working, law-biding, clean, faithful to home and country, like that. That is the unmatched success of our Krishna consciousness schooling system.

So you introduce it nicely, so that the country’s leaders will see something very nice and come to our assistance. -Letter to Satsvarup Das Maharaj (17-12-1971)

01 BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD MESSAGE BY GBC AND BBT TRUSTEE

HH MAHARAJ

Bhaktivendanta Gurukul and International School is a school with a difference. At the present location, which is next to the Krishna Balaram temple, we can only accommodate about 300 students maximum. Parents from all over the world have been requesting us to move to a bigger location. We are happy to inform you that we have acquired 60 acres of land near Ajhai, which is 3 km from the national highway connecting to Mathura, only for quality education.

The children are going to get the best education in a very conducive, eco-friendly environment. We earnestly want to request all of you to please help in developing this project. This is a project with a difference and this project will produce children with good spiritual education, good character and will be a great help to the society and humanity at large. Hare Krishna.

Your well wisher in service of Srila Prabhuapada, Gopal Krishna Goswami

BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD 02 MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

LILA PURUSOTTAMA DASA

Dear students, parents and well-wishers Our team lead by Radhakant Das is working hard to finish the new campus so that the present Gurukula can get its new home sometime in 2018. The new home is named as Vrindaranyam. The road from the highway to the new campus has been completed – it just takes 5-10 minutes to reach Vrindaranyam from the National Highway near Jait Village. The campus boundary is complete so also the academic building. The hostel structure is ready and the finishing work is continuing. The temple foundation is also complete. We request for your prayers and support so that this project is completed in time. In the academic front, our students are doing exceedingly well. The Principal, Harikesh Prabhu and his team are striving hard to improve the academic standard. This year, two of our students got admitted to the prestigious University, BITS Pilani. One student got admission in NIT Kurukshetra while another student took admission in IIIT Allahabad. One more student got admission in National Defense Academy. I am happy to share with you that our students are graduating with flying colors. In 2016, four science students – Sanchit, Krishna Murari, Abhishek and Gaurav scored above 90% in grade 12 board examination. In grade 10 board examination, three science students scored above 90% while two commerce students also scored above 90%. In 2017, Arjun and Devavrat jointly topped the Mathura Zone in 12th grade board examination in science with thescore of 94.5%. Four students in Grade 10 board examination in science also scored more than 90%. I congratulate all our students who worked hard to perform well. My appreciations are due for all our teachers who cared for these students. We were able to organize two beautiful spiritual retreats for our students in Rishikesh and Chitrakoot – the full report is there in this magazine. These retreats are meant to inculcate the spiritual character in our boys. Our endeavor will be to organize such retreats more for our students and teachers so that we will be able to fulfill the vision of our Found- er-Acharya His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada - to incubate men of complete (Krishna Conscious) character who will be able to lead the society in many fields. “Learn Gita”, the Bhagavad Gita correspondence course, is another initiative to bring parents of our students into ambits of holistic spiritual education. In this way BGIS family will closely embrace both students and parents with an eternal umbilical cord of Lord Krishna”s instructions as given in Bhagavad Gita. I request more parents to join this pro- gram to make it successful. With the abled guidance of our GBC HH Gopal Krishna Maharaja, we are striving hard to take this school to a greater height for which I humbly acknowledge the self-less contributions of our teachers and staff. Not the least, I thank Ra- ghunath Prabhu for putting commendable effort to bring out this edition of the school magazine. Hare Krishna Lila Purusottama Dasa ( Professor, IIT Kanpur )

03 BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD 02 SpeaksSrila Prabhupada Dharma and The Modern World By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (The following article was first published in Bengali in The Gaudiya, November 11th, 1949)

In relation to dharma, the Vaisnava acarya Srila scientific world, educated people are taking great Bhaktivinoda Thakura Mahasaya, has written in his care to come to a common understanding about the book Sri Caitanya-siksamrta as follows – origins of dharma.

Upon examining the historical records of all types To begin to understand dharma scientifically we of people around the world, it becomes obvious must first look at our scripture, the Gita. The that faith in God is man’s common and constant Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna has characteristic. Uncivilised forest tribals survive, like specially discussed the three fundamental principles animals, on animal flesh, but they also worship the of tattva in the second chapter of the Gita, namely sun, the moon, huge mountains, large rivers and tall body, mind and consciousness. Earth, air, fire, trees as their benefactors and controllers. Why do ether and water – these are the five gross elements, they do this? Though the soul is extremely bound and mind, intelligence, and false-ego – these are up, his faith in the Lord, his natural quality as a the three subtle elements and altogether these spirit soul, will gradually manifest to the degree that eight elements are considered as inferior material the material covering is weakened. However, when nature. The conscious element is the living entity man becomes civilised and takes to various types of which is indestructible, inexhaustible, eternal, knowledge and education, his faith becomes more permanent and even when the aged body and mind covered due to materialistic logic. Then atheism, or gets destroyed it continues to exist – this topic worse, voidism, takes hold of his mind. has been discussed in the Gita. Before we discuss the development of various types of sadhana for Of the various kinds of dharma existing in this world, aspirants such as karma, jnana, , etc. almost all of them aim to preach and establish belief it is especially important to discuss the process in God. Varying endeavors of acaryas depending on mentioned in Gita in relation to consciousness. time, place and circumstances, can be observed, but Without doing so, it is not possible to come to any it can be ascertained that all of them preach dharma scientific understanding or conclusion on dharma. with the main aim of establishing a connection with In this world, whatever dead matter or living the Lord. characteristics are present in different elements When we speak of the modern world we mean such as that which is conscious and unconscious, the progressive scientific world. In that modern beasts and birds, human beings or demons, each

SRILA PRABHUPADA SPEAKS BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD 04 one of them has a unique dharma. To discuss this in living entities and material nature is the mother. detail will require a great deal of time. But whatever This is the original purpose of dharma. In the Gita, we generally understand about theism or the ‘belief Bhagavan Sri Krsna has clearly stated this point in in God’ found within dharma, is the final word in another place. the evolution of consciousness. Covered, shrunken, budding, blooming and fully bloomed – among the mamaivamsa jiva-loke jiva-bhutah sanatanah observed progressive evolution of consciousness, manah-sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati the last three stages (namely budding, blooming and fully bloomed) are only observed in human “The living beings of this world are My eternal beings. At the fully bloomed stage of consciousness, particles. These living beings struggle with the belief in God observed at that stage is to be regarded five senses and the mind, which is the sixth sense as dharma. within.” (Gita 15.7)

The gist of such types of discussion regarding Therefore, in spite of the living beings being part our relation with the Lord has been told in a very and parcel of the Lord and being of the same universal language in Srimad Bhagavad-gita. Every spiritual nature, the fact is that they have fallen living entity is connected to God on the platform into the misery of birth, death, old age, and disease of consciousness. That is clearly spelled out by the within material nature and have been struggling Lord in the Gita: intensely from time immemorial, transmigrating from one body to another, tightly bonded by the mama yonir mahad brahma tasmin garbham mind and six material senses which is the very dadhamyaham cause of the living being’s aversion to dharma. To sambhavah sarva-bhutanam tato bhavati bharata deliver the living beings from such a miserable state and establish their constitutional position of being sarva-yonisu kaunteya murtayah sambhavanti yah eternally liberated, the Lord descends in every tasam brahma mahad yonir aham bija-pradah pita age to reestablish the path of dharma (dharma- samsthapanarthaya). Sometimes He personally “O Bharata, the vast expanse of material nature is comes and sometimes His saktavyesa-avatara My womb which I impregnate and wherefrom all comes. Therefore we should understand the term living beings manifest. O son of Kunti, all forms of ‘real dharma’ to refer to the path of reestablishing life that are born in this world are ultimately born the eternal relation of the living being with the from the great womb of material nature, and I and Lord by delivering him from his previous condition the seed-giving father.” (Gita 14.3-4) of irreligiosity when he was entangled in material nature. The foundational reality of material nature is the The manner in which civilisation has advanced in womb of the mother of the universe. The entire the modern world means that whatever dharma was creation comes into existence when the seed of established during the Middle Ages or before that – consciousness fertilises the womb of material although being suitable for that particular time and nature. If material nature could have given birth place – they cannot attract the people of the modern to consciousness by herself, then the seed-giving scientific world with their expertise pertaining to father, the Supreme Lord, could have been dispensed the dharma of the body and mind. The people of the with. But that is not possible. Consciousness is scientific world are all enthusiastic to understand beyond the realm of the eight mundane elements what is the mula-tattva (the primary principal). of material nature, namely earth, air, ether, fire, Therefore it is necessary to discuss the fact that water, mind, intelligence and false ego. Therefore consciousness is the main principal of dharma. there is no way that the paternal relationship of the Lord with consciousness can be discarded. From The conception that after death or upon leaving this angle the Lord is the Primeval Father of all the body, the living entity’s bondage comes to an

05 BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD SRILA PRABHUPADA SPEAKS end is not true. Depending on his karma the living on the path of dharma. In spite of being expert in being again gets a gross body and after due course material knowledge, scholars whose minds are not of time, he again gives up that material body. purified, or who are attached to bodily dharma or When one travels from one body to another, the mental dharma, fail to understand the real misery material desires and habits developed in relation to of the living entities due to a lack of sufficient that particular body are carried to the next body. experience in spiritual subject matter. The dharma When the gross body is given up, the living entity they try to establish does not diagnose the root travels after taking shelter of the in cause, hence it is affected by material degradation the form of mind, intelligence and false-ego, and and becomes useless rubbish in this world. In this during the time of death, that particular subtle body way dharma decreases and materialistic scholars

carries the key to receiving a good or a bad body cannot properly understand topics related to eternal just like the wind carries a good smell or a bad dharma. smell. According to ones particular desire, again one receives another gross body. In relation to this If we continue to remain busy with dharma there are various considerations pertaining to the pertaining to the body and mind in the company mode of goodness, passion and ignorance which of the progressive civilised people of this modern are present. According to the particular gross body world, we will never be able to achieve equality. on receives – for example, a human body, a tiger’s When we come under the spell of bodily dharma, body or a demigod body, the suitable external sense some of us think ourselves to be Hindus, some as organs of hearing, sight, touch, taste, smell, etc. Muslims, some as brahmanas, some as sudras, some are given on the basis of that particular form. On as Bengalis, some as Biharis, some as Indians, some the basis of previous conditioning, the mind again as English, some as men, some as women, some as starts serving those things pertaining to matter and humans, some as animals, etc. and thus differences forgets its connection to the Supreme Lord. arise. Under the spell of mental dharma people have formed many sectarian groups, some claiming Those who are dedicated to pure knowledge themselves to be Congress members, some as understand this predicament and come to the belonging to a league, some as socialists etc. But conclusion that the entangled position of the living Bhagavad-gita says that those who are true scholars entity is very miserable, thus they endeavor to are all sama-darsi (having equal spiritual vision). establish the dharma of consciousness in order that For example: living beings of this world are again established

SRILA PRABHUPADA SPEAKS BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD 06 vidya-vinaya-sampanne brahmane gavi hastini without understanding the root cause of the living suni caiva sva-pake ca panditah sama-darsinah entity’s misery, one will never be able to properly estimate the value of eternal dharma. That which “A wise man sees a learned and humble brahmana, delivers us from the threefold miseries and shows a cow, an elephant, a dog, a lowborn person and all us the ultimate reality is the ultimate dharma of the other living beings as equal.” (Gita 5.18) living entity. That is why Suta Gosvami has said in the Srimad : The very last instruction of the Gita is to accept bhagavata-dharma and abandon dharma based on sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje the platform of the body and mind. That type of ahaituky apratihata yayatma suprasidati bhagavata-dharma is meant for jnanis who have “The supreme dharma for all humanity is that by developed transcendental qualities. It rejects any which men can attain to loving devotional service form of discrimination on the basis of gross bodily unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional differences of superior, medium and inferior service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to forms and embraces an equal vision, irrespective completely satisfy the self.” (Bhag. 1.2.6) of different bodies such as that of an elevated brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog or a candala dharmah svanusthitah pumsam visvaksena-kathasu (outcaste). yah notpadayed yadi ratim srama eva hi kevalam Therefore, establishing proper dharma and bringing about universal equality, which modern progressive “Dharma, executed by men, regardless of cultured society is endeavoring to establish, is occupation, is only so much useless labor if it never under the purview of bodily dharma or does not provoke attraction for the message of the mental dharma. That is the dharma of the soul, or Supreme Lord.” (Bhag. 1.2.8) the dharma of consciousness. In order to establish that dharma of consciousness in the modern world Therefore, in order to establish the non-envious Srimad Bhagavad-gita has given ample instructions causeless bhagavata-dharma, it is essential that the about what needs to be done. Nowadays in many intelligent people of this world endeavor to analyse conferences and meetings, many respectable and and discover a new approach to present that eternal highly educated people assemble together and ancient method of preaching sanatana-dharma. cultivate hopes of establishing an egalitarian and Within the entire world Bharata-varsa is the universal dharma which is in synchrony with the greatest place of dharma. and within Bengal modern world. This can be solved very effectively is the best. Sri Caitanya-deva, the deliverer in Kali- mostly through the Srimad Bhagavad-gita and yuga, appeared within the Bengali community. especially the Srimad Bhagavata. It is essential that we analyse how He preached Srimad Bhagavad-gita and Srimad Bhagavata in a The dharma instructed in Srimad Bhagavata very pristine and transcendental method in order to is meant for people who are free from envy preach Bhagavata-dharma in a non-envious . (nirmatsara). People who are engaged in bodily and mental dharma can never be non-envious. In their sri-krsna-caitanya-daya karaha vicara case, it should be understood that envy itself is their vicara karite citte pabe camatkara dharma. Thus, when envy is present, there is no question of establishing equality. There is always “Please take into consideration the mercy of Sri the presence of envy in the sub-religious goals Krsna Caitanya. If you do so, you will find it to be of dharma, artha, kama and moksha. Therefore, most wonderful.” (Cc. Adi 8.15) these four paths of dharma will never be able to provide any real solution. If one does not develop compassion upon seeing the sorrows of others,

07 BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD SRILA PRABHUPADA SPEAKS 03 NEW PROJECT UPDATE

NEW PROJECT UPDATE BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD 08 VRINDARANYAM Upcoming New Campus for Bhaktivedanta Gurukula & International School magine a place in the lap of Mother Nature, Since 2011, the Director and Senior Management full of trees, imbued with divinity, free from had been thinking about shifting the present school Icity traffic and commotion, where one can get campus to bigger piece of land, slightly away from the fresh air, pure water, pure organic food and pure town, with better facilities for educating the children milk! Such a place is called ‘VRINDARANYAM’- the in a more open and eco-friendly environment. divine forest.‘ Finally, in the year 2012, by the mercy of Krishna, When BGIS was founded in 1976 by Srila ISKCON acquired 60 acres of land near NH-2 for Prabhupada, its location in Vrindavan near the construction of the new campus for Bhaktivedanta ISKCON Krishna Balram temple was ideal for a Gurukula and International School (BGIS). school as it was away from the rustle and bustle It took a while to acquire the entire land and of the town. One could hear the chirping sound of obtain the necessary approvals for construction peacocks and other birds in the morning. However, from local authorities. The construction work in situation has drastically changed over the last 40 the new campus finally begun with the auspicious years. Currently, one can hear only the honking of Pujan (ground breaking) ceremony in the the vehicles and it becomes difficult for the students presence of HH Gopal Krishna Maharaj and the to focus on studies. A big market has developed then honourable PWD Minister of UP, Shri Shivpal around the temple and thousands of visitors visit Yadav on 16th May, 2015. the temple every day. It is no longer very safe and conducive place for the children to study.

09 BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD NEW PROJECT UPDATE Constructed Bhaktivedanta Gurukula Marg

PWD Minister of UP, Shri Shivpal Yadav on 16th May, The Status of the 2015. With the blessings of and Gauranga, inspite of Construction Work many obstacles and difficulties, a lot of progress has The master plan of entire campus has been proposed been made since then. by a famous based architect Rajesh Bulsara. The New Road from National The master plan consists of academic building, hostel building, temple and vedic cultural center, Highway (NH-2) spiritual retreat center, faculty housing, pond, During the Bhumi Pujan ceremony, the honourable swimming pool, flower gardens, orchards and many PWD Minister Shri Shivpal Yadav had promised to sports facilities. build a new road to connect the new campus with In the first phase of the project, a large academic the National Highway. Thus, a new exclusive road of building and a hostel building are being constructed. 3 KM length named ‘Bhaktivedanta Gurukula Marg’ Foundation work for the temple building has been has been constructed by the state PWD department completed. Landscaping work and the development to connect the new campus to National Highway. It of sports facilities are in progress. A dedicated team now takes only 20 minutes to reach the new campus of engineers, managers and other staff is engaged from ISKCON temple in Vrindavan. The new road in executing the construction work under the is a big boon for the campus. leadership of Madhusudan Mukunda Das, (MBA from IITK).

UP Gov. Sanctioned Road Master Plan of entire campus

NEW PROJECT UPDATE BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD 10 The Boundary

For providing better security to children, a strong concrete boundary wall has been erected for the entire 60 acres of land. Special security guards and gun men have been appointed in the three gates of campus to provide all round clock safety to the students and campus residents. 100 solar street lights have been installed along the boundary for all Front View of Krishna Avanti Bhavan (Aug, 2017) night lighting and security.

10 feet height boundary of the entire campus Interior Snap Shot of Science Lab The Academic Building - Krishna Avanti Bhavan

This building will be the center of learning for the gurukula boys. It comprises of all the modern amenities and state-of-the art Laboratories. Special focus is given towards well-ventilated classrooms, labs and seminar halls which do need artificial lights during the day time.The building is provided with the UPVC sliding windows which are sound and weather proof. Heat insulation in summers has been taken care of by using eco friendly AAC blocks which has five times less thermal conductivity than traditional bricks. The superstructure of the 60,000 sq.ft. academic building has been completed and the finishing work is in its final stages.

Proposed 3-D view of Krishna Avanti Bhavan

11 BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD NEW PROJECT UPDATE The Hostel Building - Nityananda Kutir

Proposed 3-D view of Nityanand Kutir This building will be the living place for the future leaders of the world. The focus is to create living space in such a way to cultivate a sense of cooperation and brotherhood among the students. Nityananda Kutir will have open lush green courtyard and surrounding to bring boys closer to nature. The superstructure of the hostel building with an area of 40,000 sq.ft. has been completed. The Temple Temple work has been started in April month of this year. Foundation work for the temple building has been completed. To retain the legacy of ISKON Vrindavan temple we will have Sri Sri Krishna Balaram deities in the campus. This place is famous because Krishna killed the snake demon Aghasura in this land. We will have beautiful dioramas to depict these beautiful pastimes.

Nirman Subharabmbh of hostel

Current status of Nityandand Kutir (Aug, 2017) Temple elevation design

NEW PROJECT UPDATE BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD 12 The Natural Cow-based The Landscaping And Plantation farming of Trees One of the important objectives to shift gurukula Vrindaranyam literally means forest of Tulsi plants. to larger piece of land is to grow our own food. So the new campus is being made as green as Unfortunately, most of the kids from urban possible. The 12 forests of Vraja are being recreated. background have no idea about how food grains A botanical garden will be developed where the and vegetables are grown. Some kids think that students of BGIS and also nearby schools will learn milk is produced in the super market! about the various species of plants and understand The kids in the new campus will themselves serve the value of preserving flora and fauna. They will in the fields and take care of cows. They will then also learn the spiritual importance of different understand the value of food and be grateful to kinds of trees and their connection with Krishna’s Krishna for providing mankind with food grains pastimes. and milk. Currently, all the grains and milk requirements of students are being supplied from the new campus. Primary food grains such as wheat and rice have been produced upto 120 quintals and 100 quintals per annum respectively. Sufficient organic cow fodder is produced to feed the cows properly for better health.

Neem plantation along the boundary The Vocational Training and Cows enjoying sweet grass in the fields Skill Development Center The new campus has the facilities for imparting vocational training and skill development to village youth through courses in green energy, holistic health care, agro-science, art and culture. Complete free skill education shall be provided under PMKVY scheme of Government of India to the local youths. Currently local youths are being in imparted training in I.T, tailoring and solar technology. Organic farming led by HG Srinivasa Das

BGIS boys learning to collect their own food Orientation program for local village boys

13 BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD NEW PROJECT UPDATE Delegates from RITES with Mr. Rakesh Uberoi Massive prasad distribution to labourers working in the construction site Other Eco-friendly Features

The new campus of BGIS will be completely eco- friendly with features such as the center for organic farming, rain water harvesting, bio-gas and solar based green energy. 100 Solar street lights have been installed in the site as a big stepping stone in making Vrindaranyam a green campus. A special Soil Bio Technology (SBT - an alternate to traditional STP model) will be a unique feature of the campus.

The objective is to make a zero-discharge and low Maha Harinam sankirtana during Gaura Purnima Festival carbon footprint campus.

Solar street lights spread in the entire campus

Regular Harinam Samkirtan in new campus initiated by The Village Outreach Program BGIS director HG Lila Purushottam Das The villagers are being polluted by the influence of intoxication and other bad habits. Thus regular extensive outreach programs are being conducted to create awareness among people for healthy way of thinking and living. Free prasadam is distributed on a regular basis. Awareness among farmers for organic farming is being carried out through free workshops. The farmers see the organic farming that is being done in house and are getting inspried. Free Bhagavad Gitas are being distributed to educate the villagers about human values and to inspire them to Regular Harinam Samkirtan in new campus by Gurukula follow the teachings of Lord Krishna. boys

NEW PROJECT UPDATE BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD 14 GURUKULIS invoking auspiciousness in Vrindavan Gurukula A shanti yajna was performed by Mayapur gurukulis at the site under the guidance of Raghunath Das. It was an overwhelming experience to see the young kids chanting Vedic expertly for the success of the gurukula project.

Mayapur Gurukulis performing yajna

The Funding Partners ONGC officials’ Visit to the Campus We are very grateful to all the individuals and Encouragement and Support organizations that have funded this project. Many from The ISKCON Community PSUs and private organizations have funded this Devotees across the globe have shown their project under ‘Corporate Social Responsibility sincere support for the development of project. (CSR). Some of the organizations who have Radhakant Das and his other team members have supported this project are RITES, NTPC, ONGC, visited various places in India and abroad including KEI Industries Ltd, TCIL, Motherson Group etc. London, , UAE, and Singapore etc. With their continuing support, we are expecting Some of the most prominent donors for this project to complete the first phase of this project by April, are as follows: 2018. We are very grateful to Shri Rakesh Oberoi ji who has been instrumental in getting CSR funding • Piyush Goyal , Delhi for this project • Mira Goyal, Delhi • Shri Pulin Gandhi, Kenya • Shri Kalapi Jani, UK • Shri Bimal Kantaria, UK • Shri R.K Taneja, Delhi HG Dwarkanath Das (Deepak Bansal), a chartered accountant from Mumbai is taking active interest in the project. Along with arranging for funds, he has roped in a very good architect, Mr. Rajesh Bulsara. The new architect is giving a face-lift to the entire NTPC sponsored Lab Area project.

15 BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD NEW PROJECT UPDATE HG Lila Purushottam prabhu along with Gurukula project team members

Blessings and support from senior leaders of ISKCON The new campus site has been frequently blessed by the senior ISKCON leaders, devotees and well wishers. In April, 2017, we were blessed by the visit of HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaja, (GBC and BBT Trustee). He has been the main inspiration for the project. He stayed at the site for three hours and shared his future vision for the campus. He was glad to see the progress of the work. HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj with Vrindavan temple President HG Panchgauda Prabhu and other senior Vaishnavas

Some of the distinguished guests who have visited the new campus were ISKCON Education Minister HG Sesha Prabhu, HH Sachinandan Swami, HH , HH Bhakti Rasamrita Swami, HH , HG Devaki Nandan prabhu, HG Suradas prabhu, HG Mahamantra prabhu, HG Basughosh prabhu, HG Sankhadhari prabhu, and HH Bhakti Brihat Bhagavat Swami. We are grateful to them for giving their invaluable time and guidance for the project. We are hoping to inaugurate the first phase of the project in April, 2018. We wish and pray that by the continued support of our well-wishers, donors and HH Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj along with by the blessings of all the devotees, we will be able construction team to meet this target.

NEW PROJECT UPDATE BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD 16 We are grateful to our donors, well wishers and supporters from all over the world for your support and blessings (All snapshots were taken during different events organized in new campus)

17 BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD NEW PROJECT UPDATE 04 ACADEMICS AT BGIS

TOP BOARD RESULTS The Students of BGIS have performed exceptionally well in the ICSE & ISC 2017 Examinations. The council for the Indian Secondary Certificate of is an effort to nurture scientific talent among qualified Education (CISCE) released their final exam results on students by expert teachers. This year, 80 students 29th May, 2017. Bhaktivedanta Gurukula & International participated in this examination conducted in February School (BGIS) students have secured 100% Pass 2017. Separate training sessions, practice problems and percentage. Following are some of the highlights of their model tests are included in this initiative. achievements. Competitive Exam Selections • Arjun Yaduvanshi & Devvrat Wagle of Grade-12 together topped in the Mathura • Milind Singh of class 12 has been selected District scoring 94.5%. for the National Defense Academy for the • Govinda Das stood second with an 17/18 academic year. He will be joining aggregate of 93.25%. He also qualified for training in July 2017. His father Yogesh IIT-Mains exam this year. • Kapil Mawai of Grade-10 topped ICSE with Yadav is a sports teacher in Gurukula for an aggregate of 94.80% followed by Harsh the last 15 years. The school takes pride Gupta with 93.40% and Akash Lohkna with and wishes him all success in his future 92.40%. endeavor. • In ICSE, 5 students scored 99 out of 100 in • 3 of our students Aditya, Chirag and Computer Applications Ankit qualified for Medical Entrance • In ISC, Arjun Yaduvanshi scored 99 out of Examination. 100 in Mathematics • 8 of our students of Grade-12 selected in IIT-JEE (Mains) The results have been remarkably good this year. All • 2 of our students Sanchit Lakra and credit goes to the sincere efforts by students and teachers. Shantanu Mishra selected in IIT-JEE Students at BGIS are excelling in academics while at the (Advanced) same time continue to develop spiritual character in line with our vision to create leaders of the society with Learning Bhagavad Gita Verses character and competence. In BGIS, students are trained in learning verses from Special guidance for NSTSE Srimad Bhagavad Gita. Many of our students have memorized all verses from selected chapters of Bhagavad This year, BGIS has started special guidance sessions for Gita. One student, Purushottam has memorized all National Science Talent Search Examination (NSTSE) 700 verses from Bhagavad Gita. He was awarded with conducted by Unified Council across grades 2-10. This Bhaktivedanta Ratna by the school. ACADEMICS AT BGIS BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD 18 Union Minister Sri Dharmendra Pradhan with greeting cards offered by students UNION MINISTER Sri Dharmendra Pradhan Visits BGIS On 6th March, 2016 Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, the are proficient with exemplary character as desired Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gases, by Srila Prabhupad. He spoke to the teachers to visited ISKCON temple and the Bhaktivedanta maintain the ideal behavior and inculcate vaishnava Gurukula and International School (BGIS) in culture among the students. Maharaj gave emphasis Vrindavan. He very much appreciated our efforts on the importance of child protection and induced for building the new campus of BGIS in 60 acres of everyone to abide by the CPO guidelines. He also land which will also include facilities for gave an update on the construction progress of the vocational training and skill development new upcoming gurukul campus. He appreciated the 05 in village youth through courses in Green efforts made by new project team for fund-raising Energy, Holistic Health Care, Agro-Science and construction under the guidance of Radhakant etc. He promised to help us for this noble Das. He expressed his heart felt gratitude to the cause. school Principal Harikesh prabhu for sacrificing his lucrative career to join full-time in gurukul. He HH Gopal Krishna persuaded all the teachers to chant 16 rounds nicely Goswami Visits BGIS and read Bhagavad Gita everyday . He concluded his address by quoting the Bhagavad Gita verse, H.H. Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj, disciple of Srila Prabhupada and a very “Whatever action a senior spiritual leader and GBC of ISKCON, great man performs, visited the Bhaktivedanta Gurukul and common men follow. International School in Vrindavan. He And whatever was gracefully received with a standards he sets by by the students and teachers. The small exemplary acts, all the children prepared the greeting cards and world pursues”. offered it to Maharaj. During his speech, he encouraged and inspired the teachers and new project members to continue serving in Gurukul with full dedication. He motivates everyone to keep the balance between spiritual education and EVENTS AT BGIS EVENTS AT material education to create children who

19 BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD EVENTS AT BGIS BGIS Students Participates in World Peace Day The Bhaktivedanta Gurukula and International School (BGIS) participated in the World Peace Day event which was held on March 17, 2017. Punyatama Das, the organizer of Sanatana Dharma “One Love Revolution” and “Drum Dance Pray” organization came to Vrindavan to continue promoting his world peace campaign. He was inspired by Students holding flags of 198 countries Srila Prabhupada and he travels around as the servant of world peace carrying the divine message o f

BGIS Principal delivering message of peace during the peace parade Cleaning of Vrindavan Parikrama Marg With an aim to promote the Government of Krishna India “Swacch Bharat Abhiyan”, the students Bhakti or of Bhaktivedanta Gurukula and International pure love School joined hands with ‘Friends of Vrindavan’ of God to to clean the Parikrama Marg of Vrindavan on attain genuine peace and the occasion of the Republic Day, 26th January cruelty-free planet. He 2016. The three hours long cleanliness drive brought 198 international flags began from the Raman Reti police chowki amid representing each nation to participate and the Kirtan performed by a section of the students. unite for a better world. The gurukula students More than sixty students wearing gloves picked hoisted the flags and marched through the up plastic, papers, leaf-plates and other trashes. beautiful garden of Mathura Vrindavan Trust The garbage was collected in the rickshaws and (MVT) and joined the call to end all wars, hunger, mini-trucks of Friends of Vrindavan (FoV). The malnutrition, starvation and homelessness. volunteers from FoV helped the students to clean the big heaps of garbage.

EVENTS AT BGIS BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD 20 BGIS Students cleaning Sridham Vrindavan.

The students were divided into three groups. Das Brahmachari from the Imlitala Mahaprabhu The younger students picked up the plastics Mandir gave discourse on the significance of and garbage while the senior students cleaned cleaning Vrindavan. Shri Tamal Krishna Das the road with brooms and brushes. A group of told the students, “You are fortunate to get the students educated the people to keep Vrindavan opportunity of serving Shri Dham Vrindavan. clean by not littering in the open street. They also Shri Prabodhananda Saraswati Pada has glorified asked the ‘chai-wallas’ to replace the plastic cups Vrindavan in the several books written by him. with the ‘kulladhs’. A unique way of awareness Shri Shyamananda Prabhu found the anklet of campaign was adopted, as the students performed Rani while cleaning Shri Dham Vrindavan. Kirtan with mridanga before pointing out to the ‘Gundicha Marjan’, the cleaning of the Gundicha people not to throw the garbage in the open. Mandir was a favorite pastime of Shri Chaitanya Whereever they found garbage they performed Mahaprabhu.” kirtan loudly to attract people’s attention. Then Radha Kanta Das, Sriman Yogesh Yadav and many they asked people to keep Vrindavan clean. The other teachers of the BGIS also participated in garbage heaps were simultaneously cleaned by the ‘Swachh Abhiyan’. Environment activists another group. Sriman Poddar, Sriman Ajay Das, The cleanliness drive ended at Kalidah, where Sriman Akhilesh Chaturvedi and the Friends of all the groups assembled at the of Shri Vrindavan volunteers were also present during Prabodhananda Saraswati. HG Tamal Krishna the cleanliness drive.

21 BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD EVENTS AT BGIS Farewell Ceremony Of Graduating Students

On Thursday, March 2, 2017, a brilliant ceremony was held to celebrate the graduation of students from Bhaktivedanta Gurukula and International School (BGIS) in Vrindavan. The occasion was graced by the presence of ISKCON Vrindavan temple president, Panchagauda prabhu. During his speech, he advised the students to carry on with all the values they have learnt throughout the years of studying in Vrindavan. Graduating Students of 2017 Deena Bandhu prabhu was delighted to witness the loving exchanges between the students and teachers.

The certificates were awarded by HH Bhakti Marga Swami, HG Malati devi dasi and HG Mahadevi mataji. In his address, Bhakti Marga Swami congratulated the students and wished them with great success on their next journey. Mahadevi mataji reminded the students to keep in their hearts the message of Bhagavad- Gita with them, and she glorified the school system for upholding the teachings of Bhagavad-Gita as the essential point of education.

Expressing her appreciation for the students, Malati mataji reminded the newly graduates about their significant role and responsibility in pushing forward the movement of Srila Prabhupad. HH Bhakti Marg Swami & HG Malati Mataji handing over certificates to graduating students

The most touching part was when the students and teachers shared their reflections. Every time a student spoke about their experiences in the school, the teachers couldn’t help crying and when the teachers gave their speeches, the students burst out in tears too. It depicts the mood of loving vaisnava relationship between students and teachers. Some of the parents expressed their gratitude to the school for improving the behavior of their sons.

The graduates offered an ecstatic kirtan of gratitude to their teachers, parents, and community members. The program ended with pasta, ice cream, sweet rice and so many mouth-watering preparations.

Let us bless all the students to always remain in the mood of service to Srila Prabhupada and their lives dedicated to his divine mission. HH Bhakti Marg Swami leading ecstatic Kirtan along with graduating students

EVENTS AT BGIS BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD 22 Grade 10 Students Seek Special Yajna For Lord Blessings before Board Narasimha Dev

Examinations The students and staff members joined together The students of 10th grade began their board to perform Narasimha yajna for invoking preparation by honoring the Deities with auspiciousness. The Principal Harikesh Prabhu, Maha Abhishek on 4th March 2017. Students Radhakant prabhu, Vice-Principal Lila Govind enthusiastically organized a nice abhishek for Prabhu, Sharad Bihari Prabhu and other staff their beloved Deities Sri Sri Gaura members participated in the Yajna. The fire on that day. Teachers were invited to grace the sacrifice was conducted by Raghunath prabhu occasion. The program began as usual as per who is taking care of Patron of Education Gurukula tradition with kirtan followed by department which facilitates the academics of the colorful abhishek with milk, curd, honey, sugar students from under privileged families. syrup and various colorful fruit juices. The ceremony started with the invocation of auspicious mantras followed by recitation of verses from Bhagavad Gita. It was followed by Purush Sukta , 108 names of Lord Narasimhadev with Udichya Karma. At the end, the Varuna Kalasha was circulated around with ecstatic kirtan led by the student Krishna Chandra Sinha.

The most amazing part was the appearance of the figure of Lord Narasimha Deva in the fire during the Purna Ahuti (final offering).

Seeking the mercy of Guru Gauranga and Krishna, we also need the blessings of all the vaishnavas Aarti Ceremony following Abhishekam of their Lordships and senior devotees. Sri Sri Gaura Nitai

Final Offerings during the Narasimha Yajna

23 BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD EVENTS AT BGIS ANNUAL The school awarded Devavrata Waghle, a class 12 student, “student of the year” award. Like every year, Gurukula concluded the sports SPORTS DAY day celebrations successfully by the grace of Srila BGIS celebrated its annual sports day with active Prabhupada and Lord Krishna. participation of all the students from grade 2 to 12 on 26th and 27th November, 2016. BGIS Wins the District Students were divided into four different groups named Vrindavan, Nandgaon, Barsana and Level Inter-school Goverdhan. Swimming Competition Students had been carrying on their preparations for almost a month before under the supervision of BGIS School students were declared winners in the sports trainer Mr. Yogesh Yadav and his assistant inter-school swimming competition organized by Mr. Gaur Goswami. Primary graders between 2nd Ramanlal Shorewala School in Mathura. BGIS has to 6th standard participated in games like Kho-Kho, been winning this competition for last 13 years. Kabaddi, Football and 100 meters spoon race. The senior classes marked their participation in 100 Parikshit, Mohan, Milind, Ajay were awarded gold meters race, shot-put, high jump, long-jump, and medal. Jatin and Chaitanya won silver medal. discuss throw. Captain Ajay, Ashish, Pratyaksh and Naveen Chaitanya, Milind, Jatin and Ajay acquired gold from teams Barsana, Govardhan, Nandgaon, and medal in relay race. Congratulations to all the Vrindavan respectively, were amongst the winners. winners and their trainee Mr. Yogesh Yadav. All the winners were awarded with medals.

EVENTS AT BGIS BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD 24 FESTIVALS 06 AT BGIS

Sri Krishna Janmashtami 2016

“Krishna has given something extraordinary to everyone at 3:45 am to attend the mangalarathi ceremony at the and to serve Krishna with one’s extraordinary talent Krishna Balaram temple. The enthusiasm in the air was means successful life”- Srila Prabhupada in a letter to evident and contagious. Students and teachers chanted Sukadeva, March 17, 1973. their japa in a meditative mood, looking forward to all One of the most eagerly awaited festivals in our gurukula, the excitement and celebration. Sri Krishna Janmashtami, is an occasion of a happy The environment of the gurukula was simply Krishna display of talents by students across all grades for the conscious with reading of Krishna book going on in pleasure of the Lord. What ordinary schools would call some classrooms or students rehearsing their roles as their annual day, gurukula celebrates Janmashtami for the big show to be held in the evening .Students to welcome the ‘birth’ of Lord Krishna. In doing so, of primary grades started their Krishna conscious they welcome Him in their hearts since each of them is engagement by making flower garlands for the deities of fully engaged in activities that help them remember the different or dormitories of our school. Supreme Lord and His pastimes. These activities range from making flower garlands for the Lord to reading or Students of middle school, under the guidance of their hearing from the Krishna book, to managing the cultural teachers, were sincerely discussing and distributing events and being a part of the cultural events such as various services among themselves since they were dance and drama that display Lord’s pastimes. involved in the hospitality related services such as This year was no different and the family of BGIS, with receiving the guests, taking care of their , their unique talents, came together to offer their best serving juice and water and finally serving the big to their Lord with devotion in their hearts on this most prasadam feast to thousands of odd guests. auspicious day. All students of gurukula were awake

25 BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD FESTIVALS AT BGIS Grade 12 students, who were in charge of the entire event, decided to keep the theme of decorating the school as ‘Birth of Krishna’. Accordingly they had given the look of Kamsa’s prison to the school with prison like fences put around the courtyard and our security staff being dressed as guards of Kamsa with on their heads and spears in their hands! They had meticulously planned the evening, carefully sharing their responsibilities. Those who were good at art were in charge of the stage decoration and the general aesthetics of the school while those who were good at music had formed their wonderful choir or kirtana group and yet those who had good public speaking skills had taken the responsibility of anchoring the evening program. Every group of students, guided by their teachers, was eager to put their best and please the Lord. And when the evening came, bright faces adorned with Vaishnava tilaks gathered in the assembly area which was now equipped to welcome the deities of all ashrams as well as guests who were eagerly waiting to participate in the celebrations. Beautiful invocation prayers and the Hare Krishna maha was led by our music teacher, Srikant prabhu and his team of students.

“Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare , Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. In Kali-yuga, if this Vedic maha-mantra is chanted regularly and heard regularly by the devotional process of shravanam kirtanam, it will purify all societies, and thus humanity will be happy both materially and illiterate agriculturist would be a participant in the spiritually.”- Srila Prabhupada in S.B 4.18.14 knowledge of Vedic literature, despite a considerable This was followed by a dance performance by primary lack of academic qualifications. Therefore, expert graders. This dance called the Gotipua, was originally players in drama, dancers, singers, speakers, etc., are introduced by Raya, an intimate associate required for the spiritual enlightenment of the common of , for the pleasure of Lord man.” –Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.11.20, purport. Jagannath. In our school we have initiated a proper When young students presented the sweet pastimes of training of this dance under the guidance of Sri Lord Krishna like makhan chor lila, Kaliya daman lila Bishwanath prabhu, a traditional dance teacher from and rasa lila through drama and dance, the audience was Orissa. Gotipua dance performed by the primary graders spell bound. Dressing up our students as cowherd boys of our gurukula was much appreciated by many for its was not so difficult and with their naughty looks it was elegance and gymnastic expertise. easy to capture the hearts of our audience. However, what “Even one hundred years ago in India, all dramatic was more challenging and which drew huge applause performances were centered around the superhuman was our boys dressed as cowherd damsels with their activities of the Supreme Lord. The common people beautiful sarees and when they danced the traditional would be verily entertained by the performances of Dandiya with sticks in their hands, the audience could dramas, and yatra parties played wonderfully on the not help but clap to the tunes and cheer! superhuman activities of the Lord, and thus even the Students of our Gurukula have always been attracted to

FESTIVALS AT BGIS BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD 26 play the traditional Vaishnava drum called the mridanga, which was one of main instruments of spreading the Honey Pot holy name in Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission. Every year we have a dramatic mridanga recital by boys of middle school where excellent coordination and skill Festival is displayed. They took the interest of audience in mridanga to a different level. Sweet bhajans and kirtan glorifying the Lord resounded in the background throughout the celebrations. Special guests like HH Janardan Swami Maharaj, HG Pancha Gauda Prabhu and many other wonderful devotees increased the enthusiasm of the students even more by their presence and words. Their blessings and best wishes made all of us feel completely happy. As midnight approached, a grand bathing ceremony or the abhishekam was organized for our deities and while students chanted the Brahma Samhita verses followed by melodious Hare Krishna kirtan, audience took turns to bathe Their Lordships. To bathe them actually means to purify our own hearts and though most devotees were fasting the whole day from even water, they looked blissful and content just to see the deities being bathed with milk, yogurt, ghee, honey, and a variety of fruit juices. After the abhishekam, the deities were going to be dressed in their new outfits and while we all were waiting to see them we were also were waiting with bated breath for the surprise drama which is a unique feature of Gurukula. The drama was wonderfully directed by Sanjay prabhu with active participation from all the twelfth graders, hile it is not unusual in India to celebrate which displayed the birth of Lord Krishna beginning the butter pot festival where a pot full of with the marriage ceremony of Devaki and Vasudeva, butter is tied and raised high up for boys the celestial voice warning Kamsa and imprisonment of W to form a pyramid and then break it to taste the nectar Devaki and Vasudeva. The drama was a surprise because inside, the honey pot festival is unique to our gurukula. it was enacted not on the stage but in different areas This festival is celebrated to mark the appearance of of the school with special light effects and the audience Krishna’s elder brother Balaram who is very fond of kept guessing where they had to turn next to see the honey. Children of gurukula get so too excited to plan next act! Exactly at midnight the drama showed the for this festival what to speak of the execution when birth of Lord Krishna and all of us who were present the whole school is roaring with slogans like ‘Dauji ke could get a glimpse of joy and ecstasy that the residents bhaiya, Krishna Kanhaiya’! Boys from each class get an of Vrindavan had got 5000 years ago! Everyone who was opportunity to break a pot raised high up that has some present was singing and dancing welcoming the Lord. goodies like candies, toys and sweets. The catch is that The dancing kirtan was concluded with the grand arati whoever gets to hit the pot is blindfolded and also there for the deities and devotees slowly started moving to is every chance of him being covered with cow dung grand finale, the prasadam feast! that is also one of the goodies sometimes filled in the Truly enough, the entire family of BGIS seemed to have pot!! With teachers also participating in breaking the once again invited the Lord in their hearts and rejoiced pot, this festival is much loved and cheered. His appearance.

27 BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD FESTIVALS AT BGIS NARASIMHA CHATURDASHI 2017

he appearance day of Lord Narasimha Dev is an occasion that marks the victory Tof devotional service over wealth, power and atheistic intelligence. Our students tstarted meditating on the celebration of Narasimha Chaturdashi a week ahead by having discourses every morning during school assembly about the glories of the Lord Narasimhadev. The student were inspired to hear that the Lord protected Prahlad Maharaj and He continues to protect His devotees in recent times too. We at BGIS celebrated Narasimha Chaturdashi with great pomp and special programs in the evening. Beginning with invocation prayers and kirtan by students, there were two wonderful dramas prepared by the students of BGIS. One of the dramas, which depicted the entire pastime of Lord Narasimha Deva’s appearance was highly applauded for engaging almost 40 students who showed amazing enthusiasm and cooperation. As a result, the drama really brought us to the era of Hiranyakashipu, the atheistic king and Prahlad, the most lovable devotee. Many of us in the audience had goose bumps in the final scene where Lord Narasimha Dev appeared from the pillar and engaged in a fight with Hiranyakashipu. All of us cheered the end of Hiranyakashipu with ‘Jai, Jai!’ Students of high school also presented an interesting drama where they depicted the pastime of Narasimha Dev in Gaura leela. The That was the beginning of the next act of the drama. interesting feature of this drama was that it began The act, in which Narasimha Deva appeared in the with a conversation among some teenagers of the dream of Kazi and chastised him, was very thrilling. present generation who were trying to understand The entire school along with the guests then recited the difference between shaastra (Vedic literature) Narasimha Kavacha, praying for His protection and and shastra (weapons). The script of this part of then there was a discourse on Lord Narasimha Deva the drama was written by students themselves. by HH Janardan Swami Maharaj. All the guests, They then took us to the times of Mahaprabhu staff and students then partook in the wonderful when the ruling Muslim king, also known as feast appreciating the wonderful day that was spent the Kazi, started harassing devotees who were entirely in remembering the Lord, just what was involved in singing the holy names of the Lord. taught by Prahlad Maharaj.

FESTIVALS AT BGIS BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD 28 RETREATS AT BGIS 07

RISHIKESH RETREAT 2016

group of 90 students (grade 9-12) along in the valley in full grandeur. with 10 teachers started their journey The seven-day retreat was filled with extraordinary Aon 30th April 2017 from Vrindavan to experiences. Every day we bathed twice in the lap of Rishikesh for the annual spiritual retreat. On the mother Ganga. Everyone looked forward to it. The way, everyone visited Sri Sri Radha Parthsarathi retreat was well-planned and we followed a proper Temple (ISKCON) in East of Kailash, . schedule. Everyone was up early in the morning We had a great experience of the Glory of India at 3:30AM to get ready to attend Mangal Arti at Vedic Cultural Center depicting the teachings and 4:15AM. Staying in Gita Bhavan meant that we pastimes from Bhagavad Gita, Ramayan, Mahabharat had an opportunity to participate in the recitation and Chaitanya Caritamrita. This was a special day of Bhagavad Gita and chant prayers every morning as the annual boat festival was being celebrated in from 5-6 AM along with all the residents of Gita the temple. All of us had a great opportunity to Bhavan which was a peaceful experience to begin participate in the festival. the day. We arrived in Rishikesh early morning on 1st May and stayed in Gita Bhavan situated on the bank of After that, we would chant the holy name sitting mother Ganga. The place was surrounded by high together in circles which was followed by Hare mountains on all sides and mother Ganga flowing Krishna Therapy, a technique meant for the

29 BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD RETREATS AT BGIS relaxation of the body and mind under the guidance the journey and a deep sense of achievement. We of HG Lila Purushottam Prabhu. This was followed had darshan of Lord Shiva and breakfast prasadam by a class on the glories of Mother Ganga. there, and we started the 10 KM downhill journey Having relished the glories of Mother Ganga, we back. We reached Gita Bhavan in the afternoon and would take nourishing breakfast prasadam followed went for Ganga Bath followed by lunch prasadam by a short rest. and much needed rest. Students said that this was Every morning we visited different significant the most exciting part of the whole trip. places in Rishikesh and would return to our ashram around noon for lunch prasadam and rest. One day, we visited a temple of Lord (Sri Hrishikesh Naranyan) also known as Sri Bharat Ji Sometimes we would go for a bath in the holy Ganga Maharaj. It is the most ancient, most sacred & most which was followed by some interesting activities famous temple situated at the heart of the city. It organized by teachers. is believed that the city’s existence came into being One day, we went hiking to an ancient temple of with this temple only. In about 789 A.D. on the Lord located in Garuda Chatti, 6 KM from auspicious day of Basant Panchmi, Jagadguru Adi Gita Bhavan. After that, we went for 2 KM trek up Shankaracharya reinstalled the presiding deity in in the mountains to a beautiful waterfall. It was the temple. It is also believed that if any pilgrim on tiring but as soon as we bathed in the cold and the day of Akshya Tritiya makes 108 parikarmas clear water of the fall, all fatigue disappeared and (rounds) of Lord Shri Hrishikesh Naranyan at this everyone felt rejuvenated. It was adventurous and temple and seeks the blessing at His feet (it is the filled with excitement. We came down and had a only day when Lord’s feet are uncovered), all his sweet kirtan sitting around the water flowing down wishes will be fulfilled and it is equivalent to the the mountain. pilgrimage to Badrinath. We performed Harinam On another day, we were pondering over visiting Sankirtan and heard about the glories of the temple the ancient temple of Neelkantha Mahadev situated in the temple complex. at the of a hill almost 10 KM high. It was a On the following day, we went to Triveni Ghat in difficult uphill trekking with narrow and sloppy the evening to participate in the Ganga Arti. We trails in the mountain. We were wondering if our had a boat ride across the river to reach the other students would be able to take up this adventure side. This is the most famous and the biggest ghat but Lila Purushottam Prabhu inspired everyone and in Rishikesh. This Maha-Arati is a very grand and we were on our way the next morning. Everyone auspicious ceremony, which is performed every reached the temple and had a unique experience of evening. This was a purifying experience.

RETREATS AT BGIS BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD 30 CHITRAKOOT we were informed of what to expect in the next 7 RETREAT 2016 days. We had a well-organized schedule where we would get up early by 4 AM and get ready for Mangal During the time of Vijayadasami, a special retreat Arti followed by chanting, sloka memorization and was organized in the holy dham of Chitrakoot for Hare Krishna Therapy, a technique for mind control students of grade 7-9. A group of 75 students along with the on the holy name. with 10 teachers began their journey on 7th October by Mahakosal Express from Mathura to Chitrakoot. Every day, we would hear Rama-Katha from Valmiki- Chitrakoot means “Picturesque hills” or “Hills Ramayan in the morning and evening, which was with many wonders”. This is the place where very absorbing and enlivening. During the day, we the Supreme Personality, Lord Rama along with would visit various holy places connected to Lord his consort Mother & his younger brother Rama. Lakshman spent eleven & a half years when he The first day, we heard the pastime of how this was in exile. great epic Ramayan was compiled by sage Valmiki in detail and followed by the chanting of the holy The place is situated on the northern spur of name. Vindhya mountain, amidst lush green forests & The next day, we all went for the Parikrama of sparkling rivers. The holy river Mandakini (not Kamadgiri Mountain which appears to be in to be confused with the river with the same name the shape of a bow and it is said that Lord Rama situated in the Garhwal Himalayas) flows through resided on this mountain. It’s a 5 KM walk around the place, adding serene beauty. the mountain. While circumambulating, we came We arrived in Chitrakoot on the morning of 8th across a place where Lord Bharat came to meet October and our accommodation was arranged at Lord Rama and received his carana-paduka which a guest house provided by Shri Sadguru Seva Sangh he carried on his head back to Ayodhya. Further Trust. along the way, came a hill on the left side known as Having settled in our rooms, we had breakfast Lakshman Pahari, where Lord Lakshman used to prasadam and assembled for the first program where guard Lord Rama and Mother Sita.

31 BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD RETREATS AT BGIS The next day, we went for having holy bath in the From there, we went to Sati Anusuya Ashram Mandakini River which was very purifying and located 8 Kms from Gupta Godavari. This ashram refreshing. The students always looked forward for is situated with green mountains on one side and Mandakini Bath. river Mandakini on the other side. This is the place Another day, we went to Dhara by hiking where Sage Atri and Mother Anusuya performed uphill for around 1 KM. Hanuman Dhara provides austerities. Now there is a beautiful temple with the awe-inspiring scenery of a cascade that falls various historical pastimes depicted on the walls. from the nearby mountains. Though the uphill path On the last day, we visited Ramghat, where many was a little bit tiresome, the pictorial beauty of the sages have performed their devotional practices and gleaming waterfall took away all our hardships and we visited a temple of Lord Rama on the bank of the lovely environment enthralled us. Mandakini and had a memorable boat ride. It is believed that this cascade was created to In the afternoons, we had activities like Skits and the hardship of Hanuman while he returned from Sloka Recitation and Quiz on Ramayan. Lanka after setting fire to Lanka. Lord Ram pierced Every night before we go to sleep, we would have an arrow in this mountain, which sprung up water soft Kirtan and Chanting of Ramastakam (Prayers to relieve Shri Hanuman. glorifying Lord Rama). The following day, we all went to Gupta Godavari We were blessed having an opportunity to hear located 18 KM from Ramghat. from HG Niranjan Prabhu, a senior disciple of Srila The descriptive board at Gupt Godavari says that Prabhupada. Hearing from continued this cave was formed naturally by water and dates for the whole week both morning and evening. We back to nine and half lakh years,That’s 950,000 relished the pastimes from the beginning of Ramayan years ago. It is said that in order to have a glimpse until the arrival of Lord Rama in Chitrakoot. of Lord Rama, the Godavari river came here secretly Finally, a week of hearing Ram-Katha, Kirtan, from Trimbakeshwar, Nasik. The Godavari River Visiting holy places connected to Lord Rama came emerges as a perennial stream from the rocks deep to an end. It was so absorbing and heart-touching inside this cave, flows down to another cave below that students wanted to continue there for a few and then disappears in the mountain. We went more days. Finally, we arrived at the Chitrakoot inside the cave filled with knee-level water. It was a Station on 14th evening to board Sampark-Kranti special experience. Express to Mathura and we all safely arrived on 15th morning back to BGIS while carrying the sweet and unforgettable memories of this trip.

RETREATS AT BGIS BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD 32 Parents Gita Retreat 2016 special two-day Gita Retreat was organized session ended with a sumptuous lunch prasadam for the Parents of our students on 24-25 which was enjoyed by all the parents. ADecember. The purpose was to provide The retreat continued in the afternoon with a them with an experience of life in harmony with parenting session to equip them with finer parenting the teachings of Bhagavad Gita. As students of BGIS skills. In today’s world, successful parenting requires are trained in a lifestyle based on the teachings of many finer skills and this session was meant to Bhagavad Gita, it would definitely nourish the exactly provide that. students if their parents also imbibe the same Srila Prabhupad said in a lecture that “Please take care teachings and provide a similar home environment of your children and make them perfectly Krishna as they have in BGIS. Conscious. That is very great service”. Raising The parents arrived and were welcomed and escorted children is a great responsibility entrusted upon to their place of accommodation arranged by us by Lord Krishna and parents must be Krishna Gurukula. Conscious in order to fulfill this responsibility. The retreat started with an enlivening video After a short break, the retreat continued with a presentation on the Hare Krishna Movement founded special interactive session by our Director HG Leela by Srila Prabhupada which is preaching the teachings Purushottam Prabhu on the need of spirituality in of Bhagavad Gita throughout the world. This was the current world. followed by a questionnaire to be answered by the The first day ended with a delicious dinner prasadam participating parents to create an awareness regarding in the Gurukula. what Bhagavad Gita is all about. This allowed On the following day the parents woke up early parents to open up their hearts and express in the morning and attended Mangal Arti and their views on topics like “Difference participated in kirtan at Sri Krishna between Life and Matter”, “Supreme Goal Mandir (ISKCON). After the temple program the of Life”, “Cycle of Birth and Death” etc. parents proceeded to the Gurukula Building for the This was followed by a discussion on each next session; this was facilitated by our Director of these topics to help them develop a on the Essential Teachings of Bhagavad Gita. better and clear understanding of these The four seed verses (Chatursloki Bhagavad topics. The Gita 10.8-10.11) were explained and its practical applications in our day to day life were discussed. It was very enlivening for the parents and many of them registered for the Gita Correspondence course offered by BGIS. After Breakfast Prasadam, all the parents visited our new upcoming campus located 10 kms away from the current gurukula. They had a tour of the Goshala, the new academic building and experienced the open, nature- friendly and peaceful atmosphere of the future first home of their children. They had a wonderful Sankirtan with all new project team along with our Director to end the retreat. The parents felt enlivened and were very happy. The school will organize more such retreats in the future. RETREATS AT BGIS Ekalavya and Arjuna By Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur

Many people consider Ekalavya’s ‘guru-bhakti’ to be ideal, but there is a unique deliberation concerning this topic. King Hiranyadhanu’s son was named Ekalavya. Ekalavya was, by caste, a nisadha (candala). In order to learn astra-vidya, Prince Ekalavya approached Dronacarya. Because Ekalavya possessed a low class mentality, the acarya refused to initiate him in the teachings of the Dhanur-Veda. However, Ekalavya was determined to learn the martial arts from Dronacarya and went off into the forest. There he constructed an idol of Dronacarya made of clay and by continuously practicing in front of that artificial guru he became very expert in astra-vidya. 08 ARTICLES 08

ARTICLES BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD 34 Taking the opportunity Dronacarya came forward and approached Ekalavya, and seeing the acarya, Ekalavya immediately offered his prayers at his feet, and with folded hands he introduced himself as his disciple and remained standing. Dronacarya told Ekalavya, “You must give guru-daksina.” Ekalavya replied, “Please tell me – whatever it is, I am ready to give it!” Then Dronacarya told Ekalavya to cut off his thumb and give him that as his guru- daksina. Ekalavya executed the order of his Gurudeva. Ekalavya did not protest in any way and unhesitatingly executed his guru’s instruction. Initially Ekalavya’s guru rejected him because he considered him to be born of a low caste, yet due to his faith in Arjuna was Dronacarya’s most beloved disciple. The Dronacarya, he established a clay deity of him acarya had told Arjuna that none of Dronacarya’s and became invincible – thus his guru-bhakti disciples would ever be able to excel Arjuna in skill. was established as ideal. On the other hand, One day Dronacarya instructed the Kauravas and Arjuna was envious towards Ekalavya, because the Pandavas to leave the royal capital and go to the by his perseverance, Ekalavya had become expert; forest for hunting. As they made their way through therefore Ekalavya was ruined by Dronacarya – this the forest, they saw a dog whose mouth had been is the common opinion. blocked with seven arrows. Seeing this, they were most astonished. Whoever had shot these arrows But this is not the opinion of the devotees, nor is was far more expert than the Pandavas. Realizing it a true conception. Everything about Bhagavan this, they went in search of that person. Gradually is supremely true, everything about the principles they understood that it was Ekalavya, the son of of devotion are supremely true and everything in Hiranyadhanu, who had tested his archery skills on relation to the devotee is supremely true. These are the dog’s mouth. the three truths – Bhagavan, bhakti and bhakta. Everything a devotee does is good; everything a The Pandavas returned to the capital and, non-devotee does is not very good. The non-devotee approaching Dronacarya, submitted this unusual has many bad qualities because he is not engaged story to him. With a mood of humility, Arjuna in satisfying the senses of Bhagavan. Those that told Dronacarya that it seemed that he had another think that mundane laws are greater than Bhagavan disciple who was more expert in archery than cannot accommodate those words regarding the Arjuna. Dronacarya listened to these words and supreme truth. Such persons are nirvisesavadis was surprised. He went with Arjuna into the forest (impersonalists) which is to say that they cannot and there they saw Ekalavya continuously shooting accept the non-differentiated specialty of Bhagavan, arrows like rain, fully absorbed in the science of bhakti and bhakta. archery.

35 BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD ARTICLES What was Ekalavya’s fault? This analysis is great is regarded as good. But the effort to take a essential. He wore the mask of guru-bhakti, yet he subordinate position behind a Vaisnava and the was actually inimical towards his guru. Whether his attempt to take shelter of a Vaisnava – that is bhakti. guru actually considered Ekalavya to be disqualified Ekalavya wanted his expertise to be greater than that by his low-birth, or was simply testing him — which could be acquired by learning Vedic sciences whatever the reason may be, when his Gurudeva directly from a mahanta-guru – Arjuna notified did not wish to teach him the science of warfare, it Dronacarya of this. If Arjuna had not mercifully was Ekalavya’s duty to accept his guru’s instruction pointed this out, then the victory of impersonalism upon his head; but Ekalavya did not accept that. He would have been proclaimed extensively. People had the aspiration to become great. would not have approached a mahanta-guru to accept any type of knowledge; they would Externally, without a guru, his practices would not have desired to create their own contradictory, have been considered lawful, or he would not be concocted, clay, lifeless in order to learn in a favorable position to become great without various sciences or devotional teachings. In this accepting a guru. To this end, Ekalavya concocted way, atheistic theories would have been established. a clay form of his ‘guru’. He only did this to attain Therefore, Arjuna had no envy towards Ekalavya; greatness by learning the Dhanur-veda. In this way, it was actually his causeless compassion towards his main intention was to satisfy his own senses. Ekalavya and the world. He did not offer himself as a sacrifice to his guru’s desire and his own intentions were not sincere. If Ekalavya had been an honest devotee of his guru, Some may say that ultimately Ekalavya happily then Krsna would not have killed such a guru- accepted the heartless order of his guru without bhakta – He always protects His devotees. But protest, but if we consider this topic deeply and with finally Ekalavya was killed by the hand of Krsna. keen discernment, we can observe that Ekalavya This is how Ekalavya finally met his end (2). considered mundane morality to be superior to Sri Caitanyadeva has said that we cannot judge transcendental devotion. When the guru requests devotion simply on the basis of external austerities. something to be given as daksina, then one must The asuras perform penances that even the offer it to him – it was that sense of morality that demigods cannot perform (3). Against the wishes inspired him to cut off his thumb. Ekalavya did not of his guru, Ekalavya wanted to become greater offer it with spontaneous devotion. The very nature than the Vaisnava. Therefore he was killed by of bhakti is that it is spontaneous and simple. Krsna and attained impersonal liberation. Asuras are always killed by Krsna and the devotees of the If Ekalavya had unmotivated and natural devotion Lord are protected by Krsna (4). The proof of this is within his heart towards Hari, Guru and Vaisnava, Hiranyakasipu and Prahlada. Thus we should never then the guru, Dronacarya, the best of Vaisnavas, attempt to become greater than the Vaisnavas. Arjuna, and Bhagavan Sri Krsna, would not have If we do not wear a mask of guru-bhakti, we will been displeased with his behavior. Ekalavya’s never become impersonalists. This is what the pure attempt to learn the Dhanur-veda and his devotees have taught in relation to the narrative hankering to become great were not accepted by his of Ekalavya. Expertise in performing mundane Gurudeva. Deep within Ekalavya’s heart, he desired activities is not guru-bhakti. Taking shelter of the to try and become greater than Arjuna, the best of Vaisnavas is actually true devotion. Vaisnavas. The aspiration to become greater than (From Upakhyane Upadesa, Vol. 2) the Vaisnavas is not devotion – it is anti-devotional and it is the dharma of the Ativadis (1). According to worldly considerations, the desire to become

ARTICLES BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD 36 ISKCON- 50 GLORIOUS YEARS OF SERVICE

By Radhakanta Das & Cochabamba in Bolivia is around 10000 miles away Lila Govind Das from India and is just one example of what ISKCON is doing. Throughout the world there are around “Guess again if you think Bollywood, or Indian 600 centers in more than 100 countries established writing in English, is the country’s biggest cultural over the last 50 years. The British Empire at its export. You may not come across any of these if height was known as “the empire on which the sun you visit Cochabamba in Bolivia or Gaborone in never sets” because its expanse around the globe Botswana, what you will find instead is a centre of meant that the sun was always shining on at least the International Society for Krishna Consciousness one of its territories. It took almost two centuries (ISKCON) … It is easy to see where the Krishna for the British Empire to touch the lives of many movement’s global appeal lies. In the midst of today’s people. The sun has now set over the British Empire impersonal institutions and vast bureaucratic but the phrase, “the empire on which the sun never collectivities, it promises an intimate relationship sets” is applicable for ISKCON within 50 years of its with a personal god.” (Times of India, editorial on establishment. Jan 6, 2006)

37 BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD ARTICLES ISKCON- 50 GLORIOUS YEARS OF SERVICE

The Historic Journey: It all begun with the journey of a 70 year old person. This journey has been prophesized by Vedic scriptures like the Bhagavat Mahatmya in which Srimati Bhakti devi says to Narada muni, “idam sthanam parityajya videshamgamyatemaya”. Here bhakti devi is saying “I will leave this country, India, and go abroad!”. The word gamyate means someone will carry Srimati Bhakti devi. The former Prime minister of India, Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee said, “The voyage of “Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada to the United States in 1965 and the spectacular popularity his movement gained in a very short spell of twelve years must be regarded as one of the greatest spiritual events of the century”. In July, 1965, His Divine Grace, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad, ventured outside India for the first time to fulfill the order of his spiritual master, Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura. During his sea voyage, he suffered two severe heart attacks. He reached the shores of America with the equivalent of seven dollars.

ARTICLES The initial years: 2. He formally initiated almost five thousand disciples. These initiates, both men and women, After struggling alone in New York City for almost represented a sweeping diversity of nationalities, a year, on July 13, 1966, he founded ISKCON as races, and religious backgrounds. a formally registered society with a small group 3. He established 108 Krishna temples on six of young followers. This marked the first time continents, installed the Deity of Krishna in each in history that a pure devotee of Krishna had center, and trained disciples in the process of successfully trained non-Indians on foreign soil Deity worship. in the strict disciplines of Vaisnavism, and he did 4. He inaugurated the Jagannätha Ratha-yäträ it during the height of the blossoming American festival in major cities around the globe, in effect hedonistic countercultural movement. He began his bringing the temple to the people. public sankirtan in Tompkin square park in New 5. He introduced the Sunday Love Feast and other York. He sent followers into the streets of cities and programs for distributing prasädam(sanctified towns everywhere to chant the names of God, and food). These programs have provided millions “Hare Krishna” became a household phrase. of free meals to the public, along with regular university lunches, which still go on today. The famous Steve Jobs (founder of Apple Co.) also used to go to Sunday feasts of ISKCON when he was a youth with no income. 6. He spoke daily on the philosophy of Krishna consciousness, delivering thousands of formal lectures. Over 2,200 were recorded and archived. 7. He conducted many hundreds of informal conversations on the science of Krishna consciousness with disciples, scholars, professors and dignitaries and celebrities like Lal Bhadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Allen Ginsberg, Ravi Shankar, Alice Coltrane, John Lennon, and George Harrison. About 1300 of those conversations are archived. 8. He recorded more than twenty albums of devotional music. 9. He published the monthly magazine Back to Godhead, which he called the backbone of this movement. At the height of its circulation in the mid-seventies, over a million copies per issue were sold. 10. He launched the ISKCON Life Membership Program, which enrolled tens of thousands Figure- Srila Prabhupad chanting in the Tompkins park of members to encourage them to take to the Srila Prabhupada’s extraordinary devotional process. 11. He built major temples in Bombay, Hyderabad, feats: and Vrindavana, and founded a spiritual city 1. He sent disciples to London, where in 1969 they at Mäyäpur. All became international sites of recorded the hit single record “The Hare Krishna pilgrimage. Mantra” with George Harrison. It became the 12. He established gurukula schools to provide fastest-selling of all of Apple Corporation’s education in the principles of devotional releases, including those of the Beatles. The service. He founded the Bhaktivedanta Institute record reached #3 in Czechoslovakia and #9 to advance Krishna consciousness within in Britain, and made the top ten in Germany, the scientific community, engaging serious Japan, Australia, South Africa, Yugoslavia, and academicians in consideration of the science of many other countries. self-realization.

39 BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD ARTICLES 13. He formed the Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust to unearth and renovate the holy places of Lord Caitanya’s pastimes. ISKCON 14. He set up farm communities to teach “simple living and high thinking,” emphasizing cow protection and dependence on God and nature. TODAY 15. He wrote approximately seventy books on the Normally, spiritual Organizations tend to science of Krishna consciousness, sleeping only a disintegrate and the movement slows down after few hours a night. Dozens of prominent scholars the departure of its founder. However, ISKCON and educators from leading universities have continues to flourish even after the departure of praised his literary work. The Encyclopedia its founder acharya Srila Prabhupad. There are Britannica proclaimed that his voluminous millions of followers of ISKCON all over the world. translations from the original and your The biggest temple of the world is being constructed lucid commentaries “have astounded literary in Mayapur, the birthplace of Lord Chaitanya and academic communities worldwide.” Mahaprabhu and the international headquarters of 16. He founded the ISKCON, under the patronage of Mr. Alferd Ford, (BBT) in 1972 to publish books. By 1976, the great grandson of legendary Henry Ford. over 55,000,000 pieces of literature had been published in twenty-five languages and distributed in almost every country, making the BBT the world’s largest publisher of Indian religious and philosophical texts. 17. He circled the globe fourteen times, visiting twenty-four countries, preaching, inspiring his followers, and making countless public appearances before multitudes of people. 18. He skillfully managed the international society simply through letters and personal meetings, virtually without the use of a telephone. When the devotees wanted to use the telex machine, his quick response was that “it will simply become a gossip machine.”

Figure- Mayapur temple under construction

Over the past half-century, ISKCON has established an impressive track record of public service, community activism and charitable work. Its global vegetarian food relief program, for example, has responded to the needs of people all over the world, including victims of the 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia and victims of Hurricane Katrina the following year in the United States. Every day 1.2 million school children are fed daily in schools across India by an ISKCON-run food relief program. Bhaktivedanta Hospital, one of nine ISKCON- affiliated hospitals and medical clinics, treated over 200,000 patients this past year.

ARTICLES BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD 40 Shri Gopal Krishna Goswami Maharaj presents “The Guinness World Records by ISKCON” to the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, in New Delhi on March 18, 2016

The new campus of BGIS is also being developed as a humble offering to Srila Prabhupad on the 2. To propagate a consciousness of Krishna as He 50th anniversary of ISKCON. We hope and pray is revealed in the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad that new BGIS campus will be soon completed to Bhagavatam. serve the seven purposes for which ISKCON was 3. To bring the members of the Society together established fifty years back by His Divine Grace with each other and nearer to Krishna, and A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. thus to develop the idea within the members Various events were organized in different parts and humanity at large that each soul is part of the world to celebrate the 50th anniversary of and parcel of the Supreme Personality of ISKCON. On August 13, 2015, ISKCON members Godhead, Krishna. from 106 countries participated in a yoga event in 4. To teach and encourage the sankirtan Kolkata to get a place in Guinness World Records movement, congregational chanting of the holy for “Most Nationalities in a Yoga Lesson”. Leaders name of God, and to reveal the teachings of from across the world congratulated ISKCON for Lord Sri CaitanyaMahaprabhu. this achievement. 5. To erect for the members, and the Society at large, a holy place of transcendental pastimes, dedicated to the Personality of Godhead. Seven Purposes of ISKCON 6. To bring the members closer together for the purpose of teaching a simpler and more 1. To systematically propagate spiritual knowledge natural way of life. to society at large and to educate all peoples in 7. With a view towards achieving the the techniques of spiritual life in order to check aforementioned purposes, to publish and the imbalance of values in life, and to achieve distribute periodicals, magazines, books, and real unity and peace in the world. other writings.

41 BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD ARTICLES MESSAGE BY THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF INDIA, PRANAB MUKHERJEE

MESSAGE BY THE PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA, SHRI NARENDRA MODI

“I am delighted to learn that the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) is celebrating its 50th anniversary. “Over the last five decades, the journey of ISKCON has been one of selfless service to society. “The ISKCON family has emerged at the forefront of the quest to create a more peaceful, harmonious and compassionate society. ISKCON’s journey has been a manifestation of ‘VasudhaivaKutumbakam.’ Integration has been at the core of your philosophy. “ISKCON’s story has been the story of the determination and devotion of lakhs of devotees spread across the world. Inspired by the teachings of Lord Krishna, they spread His message far and wide. The efforts of the ISKCON family in sectors like education, publishing and disaster-relief are commendable. “On this occasion, I convey my best wishes to the ISKCON family and hope they continue to serve humanity with the same enthusiasm and diligence as they have been doing for the last five decades. May this family of devotees be agents of change in creating a better tomorrow. Jai Shri Krishna! “Signed, Narendra Modi New Delhi “08 August, 2016”

ARTICLES BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD 42 Message by Prime Minister of United Kingdom THERESA MAY

Namaste, I am delighted to send my best wishes to everyone at Bhaktivedanta Manor in what is a very special year for all those associated with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). For fifty years since its foundation by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the men and women behind ISKCON have dedicated their lives to the words of Lord Krishna to achieve peace and unity. ISKCON can be proud that in that time it has grown the world over, setting up over 500 centres and 50 schools. In celebration of the birth of Lord Krishna, it is wonderful to see so many in the Hindu community flock once again to Bhaktivedanta Manor to be part of the Janmashtami celebrations. I am delighted to see festivities on such a scale take place, reminding us all of the great number of people from diverse backgrounds throughout this country. As you gather to celebrate in the beauty of the Manor’s surroundings, let me wish you all a spectacular Janmashtami festival , and of course, pay tribute to the thousand and more volunteers who have given their precious time to make this year’s festival a memorable one.

43 BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD ARTICLES Beyond Absolute Zero and Absolute One By Lila Purusottama Dasa

What is Truth? Very few blessed souls ask this question. Truth by nature is invariant to space, time, religion and culture.The search for Truth has led seekers to describe it in many ways. As per Bhagavad Gita, understanding the Truth means understanding who God is, who I am, what nature is, what time is and what one’s duty is. In this article, I will dwell on Budhism (Absolute Zero), Impersonalism (Absolute One) and Vaisnavism (Absolute Person) in philosophical terms. How to Collapse the Notion of I and Mine

All vedic schools follow almost the same line of reasoning to understand what I am NOT. One perceives and experiences this world as and when senses come in contact with sense objects. Such sense contacts bring in attachments for the senses objects – with that sense of attachment follows lust, anger, loss of intelligence and sometimes complete annihilation. BG 2.62—While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them, from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises.

With the mis-identification of oneself with sense objects, one falls prey to the idea that something belongs to him - he believes that the object of perception is his property. Thus the sense of ‘I’ comes based on the sense of ‘MINE’.

ARTICLES BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD 44 One can observe that this ‘I’ness is based on my his intellectual ability being questioned, a rickshaw family, my country, my education, my gender and puller may fear for his inability to feed his family so forth. This false possessiveness arises fear, lust, members sumptuously, a rich man may fear the greed, illusion, envy and pride in him according depletion of his wealth, and a celebrity may fear for to time, place and circumstance. This behavior his brand value. By simple introspection, one can is equally true for a woodcutter as much as for a recognize that every state is infected with fear. As king. Thus any spiritual tradition advocates the stated in Srimad Bhagavatam: renunciation of one’s possession which will naturally SB 3.25.41 “The terrible fear of birth and death collapse the idea of pseudonym ‘I’ – a neutral state can never be forsaken by anyone who resorts to any from where one can fearlessly ask ‘who I am’. This shelter other than Myself, for I am the almighty Lord, is minimally required for one to be called a genuine the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the original seeker of Truth. source of all creation, and also the Supreme Soul of all souls.” The World of Suffering and “THE ENEMY IS FEAR. WE THINK IT IS HATE; Lord Buddha started with a premise that ‘The world is full of suffering’ and the same premise is there BUT, IT IS in the Bhagavad Gita that this world is the place of FEAR” suffering and temporariness - BG 8.15 ‘Dukhalayam Asasvatam’. BG 8.15 “After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogīs in devotion, never return to this temporary SB 3.25.42 “It is because of My supremacy that the world, which is full of miseries, because they have wind blows, out of fear of Me; the sun shines out of attained the highest perfection.” fear of Me, and the lord of the clouds, Indra, sends We know that the soul is eternally full of forth showers out of fear of Me. Fire burns out of fear joy and knowledge. So, what is this of Me, and death goes about taking its toll out of fear suffering actually? Suffering is of Me.” there because the soul assumes By analysis, one recognizes that he is not his thought, a false or artificial state. We all he is not his intellect, he is not his wealth, he is not his are conditioned to assume such beauty, nor is he his possessions. Because of the mis- false states – ’Í am beautiful’, ’I identification of the self with such externals – thought, am rich’, ’I am intelligent’, ’I wealth, beauty and so on – fear catches. And fear is the am humiliated’ and so forth. ultimate form of the suffering in this world. A conditioned jiva situated in So Lord Buddha taught His followers to purge out any of these un-natural states all forms of thoughts through meditation. In this is subjected to a constant fear. logic, the totality of existence must be free from Whichever state you may go or all kinds of thought processes and the consequent you try to situate yourself in, that sufferings. Given that ‘I’ness comes from that what state will always create a fear is ‘Mine’, a Buddhist seriously detaches himself from within you. A professor may fear everything that he may consider his. By annihilating ‘Mine’, The concept ‘I’ also collapses. Thus one enters the region of void. When a practitioner aligns himself to such a concept, he identifies himself to that sense of complete silence which is famously known as Absolute Zero.

ARTICLES This is what is termed as NIRVANA by Lord Buddha Zero – Buddhism was conquered by Advaitavad by - a state where a jiva is completely relieved of the empowered authority – Adi Shankaracharya. material miseries, particularly in the form of lust, and impersonalists (jnana ) have greed, anger, pride and illusion. Obviously one feels been there since time immemorial – Shukadeva very light and bliss (negation of miseries - there is Gosvami, Kumaras, Durvasha and others were great no positive bliss). Thus the philosophy of nihilism impersonalists before accepting the path of bhakti. ends when one loses the so called material ‘I’ness. In that form, impersonalists realize the What is the limitation of Buddhism then? In the aspect of truth. That brahman eternally exists process of annihilating all our thought process, and free from birth, death, old age and disease is we are transported to a state of No Experience – the significant contributions to the idea of truth the complete silence. One does not associate with by the jnanis. These jnanis are referred in vedic sound, form, touch, smell and taste. Absolute zero literature as Brahmavadi. However, the followers means it is a state of complete silence - Nirvana. of Shankaracharya are called as Mayavada by Sri In Buddhism, Nirvana means reaching the state of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as they declare themselves absolute zero that means you are not affected by to be God upon attaining so called perfection. any form of experiences. A sincere buddhist must How can God be covered by illusion? Although pursue the complete annihilation of his existence fallacious, Adi Shankaracharya propagated this – no activity. For a buddhist, there is no existence. Mayadava philosophy to establish the path of Veda. From no existence, comes existence – it doesn’t Even brahman aspect is very limiting as one has sound like a good argument. If truth is void, what to do the explaining – form comes from form-less, is the necessity of variegated nature of existence? illusion being variegated appears to be superior to How does experience manifest from zero? Brahman and so forth. A dhyana goes a step further. Through intense Adi Shankara and Advaita-Vada meditation, he recognizes that the supersoul is source of all kinds of information or knowledge that From having no experience to having an eternal the self perceives (SB 2.2.35). experience, the Advaita philosophy of Adi SB 2.2.35 “The Personality of Godhead Lord Śrī Shankaracharya took us a step forward. ‘aham Kṛṣṇa is in every living being along with the individual brahma asmi’ – I eternally exist as a pure state. This soul. And this fact is perceived and hypothesized in our philosophy which is popularly known acts of seeing and taking help from the intelligence.” a s jnana yoga, rejects diversity of At the state of NIRVANA, they ask this question: supreme Brahman. It also rejects ‘Wait a moment - I am different from this body, I the idea that the infinity has a have no connection with this material elements, form and a personality.By severe who then brings me all these information?’ Thus a practice of austerity and yogi gets enlightened to see two birds in the same study of Upanisads, a jnani body by following the very strict methods of astanga recognizes (can experience yoga. like Raman Maharsi and samāne vṛkṣe puruṣo nimagno anīśayā śocati others) that he still exists muhyamānaḥ / even in death. But juṣṭaṃ yadā paśyaty anyam īśaṃ asya mahimānam iti vītaśokaḥ // 4.7 //Svetasvatara because, the process Upanisad takes exclusive On the same tree, the individual soul, deluded shelter of intellectual by forgetfulness of his identity as the servant of speculation, one Lord Krishna, bewildered by his ego, grieves and falsely identifies himself with oneness of sad. But when he recognizes the other as the Lord God – I am one with God. ‘tattvam asi’ – is wrongly worshipped by all and His glory, he becomes free interpreted as on perfection one becomes GOD. from grief. Historically Absolute One took over the Absolute

ARTICLES BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD 46 Absolute Person and Vaisnavism His personality is inconceivable. He can manifest simultaneously at all points of space and time – both Absolute Truth is ultimately a person, it is the material sky and spiritual sky. Nobody can know Him highest realization and is the core premise on which but He can graciously reveal Himself as a relation Vaisnavism is practiced. A pure devotee who is to a pure Jiva as his father, mother, teacher, master, fully surrendered to that Absolute loving person is servant and so forth. blessed to realize this highest vedantic conclusion and hence engages himself in the loving devotional In the introduction to Bhagavad Gita AS IT IS, Srila service to please that Supreme Person. Lord Krishna Prabhupada categorically says that both jnanis happens to be that Absolute Truth and all authorities and yogis are not eligible to receive Lord Krishna’s – Narada, Brhma, Shiva, Vyasa, Adi Shankaracharya, message as it is. Lord Krishna emphatically declares Sri Chaitanya - recognize Him in that way. Lord that Arjuna is His friend and His devotee and thus Krishna is infinite and thus inconceivable. So also

47 BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD ARTICLES He is speaking this most confidential knowledge In the purport of BG 5.7 Srila Prabhupada writes: (the science of relationship with Krishna) to him A devotee does not like to hear anything except (Arjuna). Thus Arjuna became a bonafide acharya. topics relating Krsna. He does not like to eat anything A pure devotee or a revealed acharya such as Srila which is not offered to Krsna. He does not wish to go Prabhupada can easily guide us to the platform of anywhere if Krsna is not involved...... Therefore his our real svarupa that we are eternal servant of Krsna. senses are controlled. Before a devotee sadhaka can claim that he is an eternal servant of Krsna, he also needs to annihilate Thus a sadhaka devotee attains his spiritual his bodily concept of life. He needs to be completely svarupa by performing 24 hours devotional service free from all vices such as lust and greed. Then only he per day starting with the chanting of Hare Krsna can see everything belongs to Krsna and he is simply Mahamantra. In this process ‘I and MINE’ do not a servitor. Interestingly this platform is achieved by exist in the axioms of devotional practices so also simply performing devotioinal service 24 hours a day they do not exist in the state of perfection. without becoming mental about it. While Buddhists, jnanis and yogis perform severe austerities to just In Absolute Person Exists Absolute come to the platform of no connection with this Zero and Absolute One material world, a sadhaka devotee acts on the same axioms as that of the Absolute Truth without even In Absolute Zero, there is no existence and hence understanding this subject. Everything is Krishna’s there is no need for God in this conception. In and hence everything must be used in His service. Absolute One, there is one eternal existence called That is why the grace of Sri Sri Guru and Krsna are Brahman having no form and personality. Even supremely effulgent as all conditioned souls can this brahmananda state has no activity. In Absolute understand this supremely confidential knowledge Person, the pure existence is a person having with this grace. Srila Prabhupada writes in the purport unlimited diversity. Sound, touch, form, taste and on BG 3.42: smell have divine existence. This unlimited and ‘Lust is reserved within body but it is given vent diverse person has unlimited relationships with through senses. However these outlets are not in tiny souls – thus exhibiting His divine opulence use when one acts in Krsna Consciousness. In Krsna which a fully surrendered devotee can realize and Consciousness the soul makes direct connection relish the nectar of transcendental mellows while with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. BG 3.42 rendering loving devotional service. Purport’ It becomes very easy to explain the diversity of this As Srila Prabhupada further writes in the purport ephemeral existence by accepting that Absolute of BG 4.25: Truth is a personality and His inconceivable A fruitive worker sacrifices his material possessions personality includes within Him His dwelling to satisfy demigods for greater sense enjoyments. An place, unlimited devotees, kalpatarus, kamadhenus, impersonalist sacrifices his identity to merge with the Yamuna and other rivers, Govardhana and other Supreme. While a Krsna conscious person sacrifices hills, and many other opulence beyond our everything for the pleasure of Krsna without losing experiences and imaginations. This material world his individual existence. is just a reflection of that spiritual world. There is spiritual sound that is why we have material sound. It is very important to note that a sadhaka needs to There is a spiritual form that’s why we have here sacrifice everything - time, sleep, energy, activity, material forms. It is Lord Krishna’s internal potency body - for the pleasure of Krsna. This is the same that gives rise to infinite spiritual planets while He message that Lord Kapila gave to mother Devahuti manifests infinite material universes through His that one needs to perform serious devotional service external potency. in order to get rid of material encagement and to get back to one’s original Svarupa.

ARTICLES BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD 48 Lord Krishna is one without a second, but when He not act. He is Prashanta – complete silence. In this desires to celebrate His own opulence, He becomes sense, He is also Absolute Zero. Hence Buddhists Many. That is His inconceivable personality. and Impersonalists must take interest in the science We can hear it and appreciate it but we cannot of Krishna Consciousness so that they can properly conceive this inconceivable personality. We cannot understand what Absolute Zero is and what Absolute understand how He manifests unlimited worlds One is. Let’s take joy in Krishna consciousness and with unlimited variegatedness so effortlessly. His relish the philosophical beauty of Krishna’s concept inconceivable persona includes the totality of of infinity. existence. Hence He is Absolute ONE. Although there are varieties of activities in Him, still He does

49 BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD ARTICLES KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS FOR CHILDREN TODAY By Dr.Uma Wari & Bharat Chandra Dasa

“Krishna Consciousness” or Bhakti-yoga is such a sublime process that ācāryas and scriptures describe that even a child or even a dog can take part in it and progress towards the great journey back home back to Godhead. In fact, Krishna consciousness should be taken up right from very beginning of life i.e., during childhood days. This crucial growth story of developing a loving relationship with the Supreme Lord should not be missed in a child’s life. In other words, Parents play a very important role in bringing up their children oriented towards self- realization. Srīmad Bhāgavatam (5.5.18) declares as follows: gurur na sa syāt sva-jano na sa syāt pitā na sa syāj jananī na sā syāt daivaṁ na tat syān na patiś ca sa syān na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum “ One who cannot deliver his dependents from the path of repeated birth and death should never become a spiritual master, a father, a husband, a mother or a worshipable demigod.” The present day challenges are perhaps ‘severe’ in rearing children in Krishna consciousness. Surveys show that children are spending half as much time outdoors playing as they did 20 years ago.1 Rather, more and more children are getting hung up on screens and becoming ‘screen slaves’. A study in USA reveals that children of age group, 8-18 years old, spend an average of 7 hours and 38 minutes using entertainment media in a typical day (more than 53 hours a week).2 A recent study by Common Sense Media, a parent advocacy group,

ARTICLES BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD 50 found that 59 percent of parents think that their in following ways: by way of giving permission to teens are addicted to mobile devices. Meanwhile, children to do certain things and to not do certain 50 percent of teenagers feel the same way about things; by regulating their time spent on various themselves. On the other hand, a survey shows activities; by influencing the space and location that over 50 percent of children think that their children engage in; by controlling their choice parents spend too much time with technology than of association to certain extent; and finally, by with them.3 These figures are staggering and a providing or denying resources to them. worldwide phenomenon! At this juncture, the natural question of parents This can be correlated to another observation that is: How can we train or guide children in Krsna there has been an unprecedented rise in the number consciousness in this modern scenario? The of children being diagnosed with mental disorders answer is that children need to be guided in their due to the daily use of media and technology.4 own language. And, the language of children is – Children as low as 0-6 years can show signs of to play. This was how Srila Prabhupada wanted. mood disorders, anxiety, depression, schizoid “Make Vaikuṇtha. That is my request. Teach thinking, attention deficit, hyperactivity, autism, from the very beginning of life. Just like bala- dyslexia, delinquency, insomnia, aggression, kriḍā, Bala-kriḍanakaih kriḍan. By playing, he’s narcissistic personality disorder, emotional becoming Kṛsa conscious.… Just produce a deprivation, victimization, social isolation, new generation, just like Pariksit Maharaja. Bala- cognitive impairment, reduced prosocial behavior kriḍanakaih, from very childhood. ..Kṛsa-yoga, , sociopathy, psychopathy, anorexia, obsessive (or) bhakti-yoga, can be practiced even by compulsive disorders, etc.5 Although many of the a child without interfering with his natural mental disorders are in some way hereditary, the propensities… Without any education, without lifestyle factors could trigger them very easily. any knowledge. There is no need of high-grade In any case, evidence that the increase in the knowledge or education to understand…It is already number of mental health disorders among children there in everyone’s heart...It is not that one has to has always something to do with the television, learn it artificially by some gymnastic. No, natural. computer, the Internet and the Smartphone. These Just like the children here, they are also dancing technologies interfere with social, emotional, with their parents. They are offering flower, trying physical and spiritual development of a child. The to imitate how to chant (maha mantra). And they screen addiction is something like a moth rushing are very much pleased. So similarly…these things towards a blazing fire for sense gratification but (should be)…introduced, kṛṇa-kriḍā. So later getting destroyed by it.6 some way or other, they should be engaged Further, the modern day schooling is not helping in kṛṇa-kriḍā. It doesn’t matter whether (the the situation. When children reach the age five (or child) understands it or not...” even before) and enter school, the time allowed for (A.C.Bhaktivedānta Swāmi Prabhupāda, Lecture on free play starts to disappear. Playtime is replaced Srimad Bhāgavatam, 2.3.14-15, Los Angeles, May with play periods and slowly by play-dates, often 31, 1972). structured by elders. Modern day schools are cutting In Srimad Bhagavatam, a very interesting point is down on recess time because of fears of liability made with regards to childhood engagement of a and the need to increase time for academics. great devotee and a king called Pariksit Mahārāja. With such disappearance of childhood in the 21st It is said that even as a child, when King Pariksit century a new era of disturbed society has just used to play with toys and dolls or while playing begun to appear. This is just the tip of an iceberg. with his childhood friends, he was conscious of Responsible citizens can indeed recognize this as Krṣa always.7 In interpreting this interesting alarming! statement about King Pariksit, Srīla Jīva Goswāmi The role of the parents therefore becomes very provides wonderful insight as follows: crucial. Parents affect what children experience

51 BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD ARTICLES ya ya śri kṛsasya vrndavanadau balakriḍa śrutasti, The more the children are engaged in Kṛsa- tat premavesena tat sakhyadi bhavavan tā krīḍā, the more the flame of devotional service tameva kriḍā krtavan ityarthah | The descriptions will increase. The parents should not think that of wonderful varieties of childhood pastimes education and love of God are different. They both performed by the Supreme Lord Srī Kṛsa were are the same subject matter.9 heard by young Pariksit. Young Pariksit would then An integral part of Kṛsa-krīḍā is the pastime of play all those games to replay the pastimes in the grazing the cows. The grazing grounds (gochara- mood of friendship with the Lord due to being bhūmi) in the forests of vraja are also the overcome by love for the Lord . playgrounds (krīḍābhūmi) for Lord Kṛsa and –Śrī Jiva Goswāmi in Krama Sandarbha His cowherd friends. In other words, such an The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna environment is itself a stimulus to arouse sakhya- is known as Līlā Puruśottama or the most playful rasa and madhurya-rasa. Children who also get to personality. His wonderful playful pastimes should graze the calves and take part in Kṛsa-krīḍā in be described to the children in detail. In this open grounds are most fortunate. Parents should regard, we have come up with a publication called very sensitively and carefully provide opportunities “Krsna-krida, The Art of Engaging Children’s Playful to children for such a spiritual engagement. Thus Attitude”. Indeed it is one of the 64 traditional the culture of Kṛsa-krīḍā is to bring the Vrindavan arts known as “Bala-kridanakāni”. The publication atmosphere right into our homes, our locality, our details around 35 varieties of games played by the village or city, in our country and ultimately in the Supreme Lord (both free unstructured play and whole world. In fact, the whole world is a playground organized games) in sakhya-rasa with His cowherd for The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛsa friends. and His associates (“krīḍārtham ātmana idam tri- This art of engaging children’s playful attitude in jagat krtam te”, Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, 8.22.20). Kṛsa-krīḍā is to be mastered by the parents and This culture of Kṛsa-krīḍā should be spread elders in the family. It is the elders in the family everywhere. who stand to be gained in turn. That gain is May our children be protected from wrong eternal, blissful and full of knowledge. Therefore, influences! May the Supreme Lord’s pastimes the parents naturally feel obliged to their children become the object of their life! who are advancing in Kṛsa consciousness, just as a spiritual master feels towards his disciple. 1. (Juster et al 2004); (Burdette & Whitaker 2005); (Kuo & Sullivan 2001) The science of bhakti-yoga as propounded by Śrīla 2. Generation M2 – Media in the lives of 8-18 years, Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, 2010 Rūpa Goswāmi in Bhakti Rasāmrta Sindhu is the 3. Kids Competing with Mobile Phones for Parents’ Attention, NYSE: most important in this journey. Children are just AVG, 2015 4. Dr. Larry Rosen, idisorder, 2011; http://drlarryrosen.com/2011/03/ like flower buds. For them to fully blossom, they idisorder/ 5. Alison Parkes, Helen Sweeting et al, Do television and electronic need to be nurtured, protected and facilitated in games predict children’s psychosocial adjustment?Arch Dis Child, Kṛsa-krīḍā. They are not ordinary children. 2011-301508 6. pralobhitatma hy upabhoga-buddhya pataṅga-van naśyati nasṭa- Smoke-like devotional service (known as bhakti- dṛṭih(Srimad Bhagavatam, 11.8.8) 7. sa vai bhagavato raja paṅḍaveyo maha-rathah, bala-kriḍanakaih ābhāsa) is not sufficient although it indicates kriḍan ṛsk a-kriḍā ya adade (Srimad Bhagavatam, 2.3.15) existence of fire. Only flame-like devotional service 8. Śrīla Prabhupāda, Lecture, Bhagavag-gītā, 17.1-3, Honolulu, July 4, 1974 can do the job, just like cooking is not possible with 9. 9. na caite pritivyutpattih bhinnarupe eva dvayor api eka visayatvat – (Abhinavagupta, Abhinavabhārati) smoke but flame.8

ARTICLES BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD 52 THE IMPORTANCE OF DEITY WORSHIP FOR

CHILDREN. Dhruva Maharaja quickly attained perfection in spiritual By HG Mukunda Datta Das life. Also our most prominent acarya in our Srila Rupa Gosvami instructed his nephew Sri Jiva in Throughout the Vedic literatures, our gaudiya vaisnava worshiping Sri Damodara Krishna. literatures, which are the essence of all scriptures, deity Although these are examples of great teachers and worship has been explained as one of the most important exalted students we can practically see the results of limbs of devotional service. Although in the age of Kali the deity worship of anyone who takes it up seriously. The chanting of the holy names is considered most important children are very fond of playing, naturally, which they , without deity worship the neophyte devotee will hardly should do also, but if they are induced to take care of be able to realize that Krishna Nama and Krishna are deities, many times just as in play, or as in imitation of non different. Krishna svarupa, the eternal form of the adults they will get the benefit of this simple seva Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has and there will be reciprocation with the Lord, they will to be approached through a service attitude, seva bhava, become attached to the Lord. seva vritti, and then of course practical service has to be But the teachers, parents, guardians should supervise offered. Therefore, to engage the sadhaka in the practical their service, encourage them to improve the service, service of the Lord, the acaryas have established the perfect the service. Of course at the same time the worship of the Lord in the temple, arca vigraha seva. children should be encouraged to chant the holy names, The arca vigraha, also known as arca avatara, is non the maha mantra “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna different from the original form of the Lord. The worship Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama of the deities has to be performed as described in the Rama Rama Hare Hare, and also they have to scriptures, as explained by the Supreme Lord Himself, regularly hear about Krishna,” about Sri Chaitanya as Krishna spoke to His dear devotee Uddhava in the Mahaprabhu so that they may get the full result of this Srimad Bhagavatam, or as explained by the devotees worship. And this will make them good devotees of of the Lord. Under the guidance of the spiritual master, the Lord and also they will be able to perform nicely Sri Guru, the worship has to be performed, according to their academical studies and become good citizens time, place and circumstances. of this world, following also varna dharma. The worship of the deities in the temples is most Therefore in our Bhaktivedanta Gurukula our students elaborate. At home, or in personal worship of a devotee, are encouraged to worship the Deities and they are also the service is simplified, but the principles are the practically doing that very nicely. In the various ashramas same. Similarly for the children deity worship is very in our Gurukula Sri Sri Gaur Nitai are worshiped and also essential. Again referring to the scriptures we can see individually those at home they are very nicely engaged many examples of great acaryas instructing children in in deity worship. It is a great source of inspiration for all the worship of the Lord. Narada Muni instructed the 5 and the benefits are unlimited. year old boy, son of a king, who had left to the forest, In conclusion, deity worship is a must for all sincere named Dhruva Maharaja in worshiping the Lord and also persons for perfect development of character and then told him to chant the mantra “om namo bhagavate also to set an example for others to follow. Hare Krishna. vasudevaya”. Following the advice of Narada Muni little OM TAT SAT.

53 BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD ARTICLES MY EXPERIENCE OF LIVING IN VRINDAVAN By Nikunj Papneja, Grade 8 ‘VRINDAVAN’ – I got introduced to this holy and auspicious place when I was just 45 days old. My parents brought me here to seek blessing and love of Shree Thakurji and thus my journey to Shree Vrindavan Dham began. I was even named by my Guruji right at the premises of Shri Thakurji’s temple at that time. My parents told me that Guruji selected my name ‘Nikunj’ as according to him A POEM FOR SRILA PRABHUPADA it is the place where Shree Lal Ju and Ladli ju is present Descended from the spiritual sky. every time in ‘Nitya Vihar’.So from the early days of By Kush Thripathi Grade 8 my childhood, I was crazy for Vrindavan. I used to hear Upon Krsna’s mercy did you rely, a lot of pastimes of Shri Thakuji from my parents and You preached your message to all you may, grandparents. I used to visit Vrindavan approximately five With Krsna in your heart, you never faced any to six times in a year. And finally a day came, 30th March 2016, when finally due to the mercy of Ladli Ji Maharani, defeat. we shifted to Vrindavan. We shifted as I wanted to get While you pursued your studies, Gandhi caught your religious education, to learn the recitation of Bhagwat eye, Gita and of course to immerse myself in the India’s independence- the British system to decry, love of My Lord. Vrindavan is a place where But one day, by the stubbornness of one mate, one can relax; feel calm, cool and spiritually You met your Guru Maharaja, as ordained by fate. ecstatic. In fact, I feel every soul is looking for You took to heart the words of the great saint, such a peaceful destination which is attached With full faith, determination and showing no to God. Vrindavan is a wine which intoxicates us restrain, forever. I repeat forever. This place is filled with You preached the whole world the divine message pure love for Krsna, his gopis and eternal love enthusiastically, of Radha Krishna. One can feel that love every Sometimes tired yourself physically. moment as long as he lives in VRINDAVAN. No one can challenge your divine ability, Every moment one can feel the existence of And all was accomplished with greatest humility, Krishna in the atmosphere of Vrindavan. Only All who got your blessings were released from their Krishna can make a living being happy. bad karma, Initially I was confused to see people as to how they could become detached from the outer And now so many are on the path of Sanatana world. But now after living here, I feel different. dharma. Life is not the same ever since I came to live Your Iskcon family is offering you a spiritual Oasis, here. I have left all those activities that used to Where Harinaam and the books are the basis, keep me engaged for the whole day. As soon A prasadam restaurant to inspire the masses, as one becomes free here, he starts chanting To chant and hear Bhagvatam classes. or listening to lectures. Actually there is no POEMS Your glorious movement will expand with love and free time here. There is ‘Thakur seva’ in almost trust, every house that keeps them engaged in one As long as we are free from false ego and lust, ‘arti’ to another or in one ‘bhoga’ to other. And, your books daily, we faithfully read, Vrindavan actually is a culture in itself. I feel

But most importantly is your causeless mercy that that if we don’t have vrindavan in our lives 09 we need. then we are missing out the fun. The culture of Vrindavan is to be Krishna conscious all the time. When you walk on the road, you POEMS BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD 54 can read ‘Jai Shri Radhe’ written on trees and walls. You can hear devotees chanting Mahamantra everywhere; MY REAL HERO UTSTAV you can hear ‘bhajans’ everywhere you go. The banks My hero is my father. By Utstav, Grade 8 of river Yamuna and the beautiful peacocks make it the most wonderful place on the earth. The devotion of Do people talk about him rather; devotees in VRINDAVAN is ineffable. We see all types of I can’t pay him back ever, best devotees of Krishna from different ‘’ Because he kept us like a loving dear father. in Vrindavan. There are many devotees here who have The problems he faced were a lot, kicked off from the wealth of millions to basic amenities of life for Krishna. But he continuously fought; The aim of life should be to be in Vrindavan. The permanent We didn’t do very good, goal of life should be to have Vrindavan consciousness But he did what ever he could. in our lives. VRINDAVAN consciousness is simply to give He suffered a lot, pleasure to Krishna and not to expect anything in return But then also he never said ‘I could not’; except the opportunity to serve. He faced problems in his business, WHY SHOULD I LIVE A But he always behaves with politeness. DISCIPLINED LIFE? My father was discriminated, By Luv Thripathi, Grade 8 But from his side he remained impartial. Discipline is an important virtue. Life, without He is a self made man, discipline is just like a ship without a rudder. It is And he had all the qualities that a man should have. absolutely necessary for succeeding in life. Discipline Dear children, its just not about my father, refers to orderliness in life which results from our All parents suffer usually or rather, adherence to certain code of conduct prepared by So do respect your mother and father, learned people. We observe discipline in nature. And have a loving family together. The earth and moon revolve around the sun in a disciplined way. As a result, night and day recur after twelve hours. We experience the cycle of seasons on MY MEMORIES WITH TEACHERS By Prahlad Nimalan, Grade 9 earth, it’s all because of discipline. It is essential for us at home, for students it is essential at school or DEAR TEACHERS...... college, for players it is essential in the playground Like a candle that burns itself to spread light and for soldiers it is essential in the battlefield. A You gave us the path that was right team of experienced players often loose because of By working hard day and night lack of discipline. A fearsome battle can be won by You gave us the real sight a disciplined army. Discipline is very important in a You have made our lives blossom student’s life. He must obey his teachers. He must With an extra ting of awesome abide by the rules in school. If he violates them, You gave us the most proper feature he suffers a great deal in future. Only a disciplined No matter what I will be proud to call you a TEACHER student can achieve success. You are my no.1 preacher Discipline plays an important role in building up No wonder you are my teachers a nation. It has good impact on a child’s mind too. You gave me values with lots of laugh and cheer! He passes through different stages of discipline to be able to become a civilized citizen in future. He I am so happy for you are my teacher leads a decent life. Self discipline is very important. You helped me with many hurdles Spiritual people practice it to attain the goal of life And also helped me cross those problems or Krsna. Self discipline is restraining our unruly You are my no.1 there is no doubt desires and ugly impulses. Thus discipline is essential And will always be throughout. everywhere.

55 BETTER PEOPLE | BETTER WORLD POEMS Slowly and slowly it further expanded, And became the only thing that people ISKCON POEM demanded. By Mohan Srivastava, Grade 9 Day by day beautiful temples came up, It all began with just a few sentences, Western world civilized when bad habits, they His Guru asked him to reduce western grievances. gave up. These words, he carried, in the core of his heart, But he was anxious to spread it further, Though he faced struggles, he did not fall apart. He came back to India and preached every Determined he was and his aim was clear, corner. To deliver the fallen souls, from this sphere. Food distribution, village preaching and able Began commenting books and printed “Back speakers he made, to Godhead”. He tried everything to make his He pulled out everyone from the darkness of message spread. Maya’s shade. His efforts were worthy but Indians uninterested, He continued writing books for people’s He thought of going out and makes the western betterment, interested. He worked hard day and night to spread this He finally got Jaladuta with the help of Morarji, movement. Thus he left India to show the world his mercy. He finally succeeded in what he dreamt of, The western were perplexed and their lives A feeling of satisfaction though the way was distressed, tough. No culture and no manners could not even be Christians and Muslims and Hindus were now dressed. free of enmity, They were looking for happiness, like wanderers They realized that their purpose was to spread for food, Thus, he had come there, to teach them humanity. ultimate good. The world was now overjoyed with With just a few youngsters, ISKCON came into transcendental environment, being, He brought the world in peace by his With the great ideas, began the historical thing. movement. People could find real happiness there, He did, what no one could in several centuries, They chanted and danced and overcame their The messenger of God – Bhaktivedanta Swami. fears.

POEMS BETTER WORLD | BETTER PEOPLE 56 ONE WHO HAS GIVEN THE TOLERANCE POWER? One who has given the tolerance power To bear all the odds or adversities of life is you. One who has given the courage, to live alone in this world is you. One who has given the power, to discriminate between right and wrong is WHO AM I? you. By Animesh, Grade 7 One who has given the strength, to control our senses is you. Who am I? Do you know that who are you? Has One who has given the intelligence, any one asked you that who are you? Can you to ponder or to contemplate is you. answer that? Today I Animesh Singh of class One who has given everlasting internal 7th will tell you who are you and who am I? happiness, First to tell you about who am I? I will tell you a to remain cool and calm is you. story; there was a man, one day he went to the One who has given the divine knowledge of park and he met a priest there; he asked, what Bhagwad Gita, do you do and who are you? The priest asked to put into practice or implement in life is you. how, from the body or from the soul? The man And, at last said what are you saying? He said from my One who was, who is and who will always body I am a priest from the main side of mine remain with me is, I am a soul and my duty is to serve Krishna the you only you my Spiritual Master. supreme personality of godhead. Then the You still exist in this world in the form of your man also came to know that our body is not preaching’s and divine songs. We human permanent but our soul is permanent. beings come and go but you remain The lesson we learn is that your soul has come Forever in this world for us and for the coming inside your body for a limited amount of time. generations, to show them the right path.

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